Objectives: Carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation injury is a complex processes and it is still dangerous. The aim of this study was to determine if there is any relation between elevation of biochemical markers obtained in carbon monoxide poisoning.
Patients: A total of 40 cases with CO intoxication that composed of 19 male and 21 female. Thirty healthy volunters were included to study as a control group. The patients were evaluated in two subgroups, group 1 = mild- moderate CO intoxication (26.33+10.96%) (n=25), group 2 = severe CO intoxication (52.21±8.29 %) (n=16).
Measurements and Results: Serum ACE activity, plasma fibrinogen and D-Dimer were measured. The mean angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) value was significantly higher in group 2 (53.31 ±8.21 U/L) than both in group 1 (19.71 ±15.10 U/L) and the controls (17.4±7.88 U/L) (p<0.05). The level of D-Dimer in both group 1 (265.8±135.21) and group 2 (235.1 ±132.6) were significantly higher than that of the control (112.93±17.2) (p<0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between the CO and the ACE values (r= 0.740, p<0.05).
Conclusion: The interaction between CO and the ACE values suggested that secretion of ACE in response to hypoxia of the lung tissue increases as the CO increases, and D-dimer values were increased in all patients independent from the severity of the CO intoxication.