Factors Influencing Carboxyhemoglobin Stability

摘要

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Because of its high affinity for oxygen binding sites on hemoglobin and displacing oxygen, the presence of CO in the atmosphere has been shown to produce adverse health effects, affecting the cardiovascular system as well as causing behavioral changes. These changes have been reported at concentrations of carboxyhemoglobin (COHB) in the range of 4 to 6%. The Department of Defense (DoD) is concerned about the production of CO in fixed and mobile weapon systems and the relationship between behavior and health effects in military personnel associated with this exposure. The source of CO in a combat situation is exhaust gases from motorized vehicles and propellant gases from weapon systems. Studies were conducted to determine the stability of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in evacuated blood containers using the IL-282 co-oximeter as the measurement instrument. This study has shown that COHb levels decrease by 5 to 10% of the original value after three days of storage and the remained stable for 14 days at 4 C or 21 C in vacutainers containing heparin or EDTA. The storage temperature, 4 C or 21 C had no appreciable affect on COHb levels. Blood samples that contained the anticoagulant heparin had higher initial values of COHb than samples with EDTA. In this study ambient room light levels did not affect the measured levels of COHb at 4C for 5 days.