Memory one month after acute carbon monoxide intoxication: a prospective study

• Published in: Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 212 - 216
• Main Authors: Deschamps, D, Géraud, C, Julien, H, Baud, F J, Dally, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.03.2003; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Carbon monoxide; Carbon monoxide poisoning; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - psychology; Case-Control Studies; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; cognitive ability; Environmental Exposure; Female; Gas, fumes; Humans; Intoxication; Learning Disorders - chemically induced; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory Disorders - chemically induced; Memory, Disorders of; Mental concentration; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Original; Oxygen; Oxygen therapy; Patients; Physiological aspects; Predisposing factors; Prospective Studies; Psychometrics; Quantitative psychology; Risk factors; Substance abuse treatment; Time Factors; Toxicity; Toxicology; United States; Human; Memory disorder; Cognitive disorder; Acute; Complication; Sequela; Poisoning; Carbon monoxide
• ISSN: 1351-0711; 1470-7926
• DOI: 10.1136/oem.60.3.212

Background: Serious delayed neuropsychological sequelae may complicate carbon monoxide intoxication. The existence of minor manifestations, especially memory disturbances, is not well documented. Aims: To study several memory functions after carbon monoxide intoxication. Methods: In a prospective study, 32 poisoned patients without risk factors for cognitive disturbances were compared to 32 paired control subjects one month after acute carbon monoxide intoxication (blood carbon monoxide concentration at least 1.0 mmol/l), who had been treated with standard conventional therapy. Psychometric tests included Buschke’s verbal memory testing, verbal digit span, Corsi’s visuospatial span, reaction times, Stroop’s colours decoding test, and verbal fluency test. Results: (1) Memory functions in poisoned subjects were not worse than in the control group and were even better in some areas: learning, word recall, and quality of learning by Buschke’s verbal memory testing. Attention was also better in the patients, in whom visual reaction time was shorter than in controls. (2) Results of several memory functions—quality of learning and immediate visual memory—were positively correlated with the initial carbon monoxide level. Conclusions: In a highly selected subset of patients devoid of risk factors for memory impairment, memory, objectively evaluated by psychometric testing, was not worse one month after carbon monoxide intoxication in patients undergoing standard treatment than in paired control subjects.