The relationship between glaskow coma scale score and changing erytrocyte volume in erythrocyte apheresis treatment in patients with severe carbon monoxide poisoning

Purpose: Carbon monoxide poisoning is a significant reason of morbidity and mortality in modern society as well as in our country. Carbon monoxide poisoning constitus more than half of all fatal poisonings in the world. In our study, we aimed to evalute the efficacy of therapeutic red cell exchange (TREX) in the patients with carbon monoxide poisoning and with Glaskow Coma Scale ≤13. Methods: We studied 124 patients (59 males and 65 females) with carbon monoxide poisoning at emergency department of Cukurova University between December 2012 and October 2015. The mean age of patients was measured at 43,9±19,03. We cured 25 patients (14 males and 11 females) with TREX, whose Glaskow Coma Scale score of 13 or less. The remaining 99 patients were treated 100% oxygen therapy with a non-rebreathing face mask. Results: Mean carboxyhemoglobin level decreased from (20,7±13,6)% to (3,4±5,1)% and mean glaskow coma scale score increased from 9±2,7 to 14,3±1,6 after TREX therapy. The process took 33,8±8,3 minutes. It was statistically detected that there was a significant improvement between carboxyhemoglobin values and glaskow coma scale values before and after the treatment (p<0,001). Of the 25 patients, 21 were discharged alive, and 3 patients with cardiovascular disease and asthma died due to the septic shock and multiorgan failure. Mean carboxyhemoglobin level decreased from (13,4±12,3) % to (2,5±2,1) % in the remaining 99 patients who treated with oxygen therapy. Conclusion: TREX is an effective treatment method in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning and GKS score≤13. Randomized, controlled experiments should be performed to clarify the efficcacy of TREX in the treatment of CO poisoning. Keywords: Carbon monoxide poisoning, Therapeutic erythrocyte apheresis.