Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas produced as a byproduct of (incomplete) combustion. Poisoning occurs by inhalation, either accidentally or intentionally (suicide attempt). CO poisoning is responsible for an estimated 40,000 emergency department visits and 1,000 accidental deaths in the United States annually. Approximately 5-6% of patients evaluated in emergency departments for CO poisoning are treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2). Severe signs of CO intoxication are manifested by transient or prolonged unconsciousness, abnormal neurologic signs, cardiovascular dysfunction, or severe acidosis.

CO binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells at the sites usually utilized to carry oxygen to tissues. Oxygen, and especially hyperbaric oxygen, accelerates the clearance of CO from the body, thereby restoring oxygen delivery to sensitive tissues such as brain and heart. This has traditionally considered to be the mechanism of benefit of HBO2. However, research published in the past few years has demonstrated a number of other mechanisms of toxicity from CO. Blood vessel (vascular) injury from CO has been demonstrated to result from CO-induced production of nitric oxide-derived oxidants and cellular injury from activated white blood cells (neutrophils). CO also causes direct central nervous system cellular injury through mechanisms that include disturbance of energy metabolism and intracellular production of oxygen free radicals. In animal experiments, hyperbaric oxygen, but not normobaric oxygen (NBO2), has been demonstrated to block each of these mechanisms of toxicity.

The benefit of hyperbaric oxygen treatment of CO poisoning was demonstrated by comparing the clinical experience at institutions where HBO2 was used with that at facilities where it was not available. Since 1989 randomized prospective trials have been reported comparing HBO2 with NBO2 treatment of acute CO poisoning showing evidence for positive outcome (especially in late psychologic sequelae) if HBO was used.

The scientific medical societies for hyperbaric medicine all over the world currently recommend HBO2 treatment of individuals with CO exposition independently of the level of CO-binding to hemoglobin at time of admission - especially for pregnants to preserve the unborn. As CO is not only fixed to hemoglobin but especially to intracellular organs all over the body the CO-HB value is not a reliable predictive parameter.