Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Comparison of Paediatric and Adult Patients

Abstract

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is a tasteless, odorless and colorless gas and causes many poisonings every year. In this study, paediatric and adult CO poisoning cases admitted to our emergency department were reviewed retrospectively.
 Materials and Methods: Paediatric and adult patients who applied to the Emergency Department of Mardin Training and Research Hospital between 01 January 2021 and 31 December 2022 due to CO poisoning due to stove usage were included in the study. Patients were compared according to age, gender, month and time of admission to the emergency department, complaints at admission, laboratory test results and discharge status. 
 Results: 90 patients admitted to the emergency department due to CO poisoning caused by stoves between 2021-2022 were included in the study. While the rate of female patients in the paediatric age group was 53.3%, the rate of female patients in the adult group was 48.9% (p=0.673). When compared according to the complaints of admission to the hospital, the most common complaint in the paediatric age group was nausea-vomiting with 42.2%, while the most common complaint in the adult group was shortness of breath with 26.7%. In both groups, it was determined that the most frequent application was in January with 48.9%. While 15.6% of children were hospitalized, this rate was 4.4% for adults. (p=0.065). While the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) value at the time of first admission was 18.36±6.60 in the paediatric group, it was 22.03±10.24 in the adult group (p:0.047). In the control blood gas values taken at discharge, COHb level was 2.76±1.83 in children and 5.10±3.02 in adults (p