The efficiency of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in carbon monoxide poisoining in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether oxygen therapy with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is superior to normobaric oxygen therapy in carbon monoxide poisoning. METHODS: The study participants were 43 patients diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning between the dates 15 March and 30 June 2016 at the emergency department of an urban teaching hospital. The control group comprised patients who received normobaric oxygen therapy. The case group consisted of patients who underwent one-hour CPAP therapy. The primary outcome was the determination of the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) with CPAP treatment. The CPAP and control groups were compared in terms of the reduction in COHb levels after 60 minutes of therapy. RESULTS: The COHb level among patients in the CPAP group was lower in the 30th and 60th minutes. The half-life of COHb was apparently decreased in the CPAP group compared with the control group (control and case groups mean plasma half-life of COHb were 80.26 ± 12.70 and 36.20 ± 4.58 minutes, respectively). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrate that CPAP therapy may be an effective option for oxygen therapy among patients with carbon monoxide intoxication; this is achieved by decreasing the half-life of COHb.

Analysis of the correlation between blood glucose level and prognosis in patients younger than 18 years of age who had head trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between early-term blood glucose level and prognosis in patients with isolated head trauma. METHODS: This study included a total of 100 patients younger than 18 years of age who had isolated head trauma. The admission blood glucose levels of these patients were measured. Age at the time of the incident, sex, mode of occurrence of the trauma, computed tomography findings, and GCSs were recorded. Kruskall Wallis test was used compare of groups. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The median age of the study population was 7 years and the median GCS was 11. There was a significant negative correlation between blood glucose level and GCS (p < 0.05). A significant correlation in the negative direction was observed between GCS and blood glucose level (r = -0.658, p < 0.05). Seventy-seven percent of the patients were admitted to hospital, while 6% died in ED. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that hyperglycemia at an early stage and a low GCS may be reliable predictors of the severity of head trauma and prognosis. A higher blood glucose level may be an ominous sign that predicts a poor prognosis and an increased risk of death.