Interest of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Childhood Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Retrospective Study

Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the common causes of poisoning in patients. However, few studies have focused on the pediatric group. We performed this study in order to clarify the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with Carbon monoxidepoisoning.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients (age < 14 years) diagnosed with CO intoxication and admited in the Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber of the military hospital MOHAMED V of RABAT between January 2018 and March 2020, epidemiologic and clinical data were collected, analyzed and compared with literature.

Results: A total of 112 children with CO poisoning were identified. Their ages ranged from one to 14 years, symptoms were nausea and vomiting (31%), headache (23%), altred consciousness (19%), dizziness (15%) and seizure (8%). Most events (67.8%) occurred during winter, (100%) of cases were recorded as accidental poisoning. Only one child developed delayed neurologic sequelae, with no death enregistred in our series.

The most common cause of intoxication was improperly vented exhaust produced by gas, hot water heaters (98%).(And) (20%) of patients needed two or more sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy.

Conclusion: The treatment of Carbon monoxide poisoning is a race against time. Patients requiringHyperbaric Oxygen therapy must be carefully selected within the first few hours, and kept under close observation. Children with Carbon monoxide poisoning had good outcomes in this series.