Association Between Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Normobaric and Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment in Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Abstract

Objective: Carbon monoxide (CO) is the main cause of death and morbidity associated with poisoning in developed countries. The most important mortality and morbidity cause of CO poisoning is cerebral hypoxia. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a useful method for assessing brain oxygenation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the brain oxygenation of CO poisoning patients with NIRS and to investigate its benefits in patients follow up and treatment.

Methods: The study was conducted as a single-center, prospective clinical trial with 33 patients who were diagnosed by measuring blood carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) level or referred from other hospitals diagnosed with CO poisoning. Patients were divided into two groups as normobaric oxygen therapy (NBOT) group and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) group according to the treatment method applied.

Results: Although average cerebral saturation (ScO2) levels after treatment were higher in the NBOT group than before treatment, no statistically significant difference was found except the left frontal ScO2 values. In HBOT group, there was no difference between ScO2 values before and after treatment sessions.

Conclusions: Our study concluded that NIRS may be useful in assessing brain oxygenation in CO poisoned patients, but not in determining the HBOT start-up, and not in monitoring the effectiveness of HBOT.