Published in:
01-08-2003 | Brief Report
Is elevated plasma lactate a useful marker in the evaluation of pure carbon monoxide poisoning?
Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 8/2003
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Objective
To examine whether CO poisoning induces a significant increase in plasma lactate concentration.
Design and setting
Prospective observational clinical study in the emergency department and intensive care unit in a university-affiliated teaching hospital.
Patients
146 pure CO poisonings resulting from dysfunction of gas cookers or water heaters.
Measurements and results
Patients were classified into four neurological impairment groups: 37% were severely, 8% moderately, and 45% mildly intoxicated, while 1% were asymptomatic. We found only very mild increases in plasma lactate concentration (median 2.30 mmol/l) which, however, was significantly correlated with the severity of neurological impairment and blood CO concentration (1.41 mmol/l, Spearman's test r=0.3).
Conclusions
Plasma lactate is mildly elevated in pure CO-exposed patients. This mild increase and the extensive overlap between the groups of neurological impairment severity do not suggest the usefulness of systematic plasma lactate measurement in pure CO poisoning.