Objective: Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas that causes numerous poisonings every year. In developed countries, the most common cause of this poisoning is suicide, whereas in developing countries like ours, the most common cause is inadequate ventilated stoves. In this study, carbon monoxide intoxicated cases admitted to our emergency department were analyzed retrospectively and laboratory and clinical features affecting hospitalization were investigated.

Material and Method: The patients admitted to the emergency service with carbon monoxide poisoning between 2016-2018 were included in the study. Age, gender, date of poisoning, time of admission to the emergency room, residence of poisoning, medical complaint of the patient, pH, carboxyhemoglobin, lactate, troponin I levels, leukocyte count and clinical outcomes were examined and the factors affecting the hospitalization were investigated.

Results: During the study period, 421 patients were admitted to the emergency department and the majority of these patients were adult (64.8%) and female patients (55.3%). The pH was low, lactate, troponin I and leukocyte count were higher in hospitalized patients compared to those discharged (p <0.001). The patients were most commonly admitted to the emergency department with dyspnea (%45.8) and headache (%33.8). All of the patients with altered mental status were hospitalized (p <0.001).

Conclusion: The factors affecting hospitalization in carbon monoxide poisoning were altered mental status, pH, lactate, troponin I level and leukocyte count.