1497 Methods to diagnose carbon monoxide exposure: A scoping review

Aims, Objectives and Background Carbon-monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless gas produced from incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels. Measurement CO levels to diagnose exposure difficult due its short half-life. The effects range mild symptoms, such as headache, neurotoxicity death. In this scoping review we aimed establish the existing methods used in clinical practice research determine map diagnostic cut-off values used. Method design We undertook measure thresholds each. EMBASE, Medline CINAHL databases were searched for published articles English 2002 onwards using keywords ‘carbon monoxide’, ‘poisoning’ ‘diagnosis’. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts inclusion, with third arbiter where there was lack agreement between reviewers. Full text papers then reviewed, data extracted on level, values, whether known or unknown source. Results Conclusion A total 85 identified meeting inclusion exclusion criteria. most common diagnosing measurement carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) whole blood (50.5%) CO-oximeter spectrophotometrics (20%). Diagnostic poorly reported varied non-smokers smokers. Exhaled breath analysers (8.2%) ambient (11.7%) also documented. threshold 2–5% 10–15% Several are exposure. There variation make diagnosis which challenging clinicians makes comparison findings difficult.