[Experience in employing pulse CO-Oximetry].

BACKGROUND: In U.S.A., Pulse CO-Oximetry has emerged as a quick, simple, and non-invasive diagnostic modality to measure the concentration of COHb in arterial blood. To investigate its efficiency, we measured COHb levels by employing Pulse CO-Oximetry and by CO-Oximeter in arterial blood. METHODS: Normal healthy volunteers with a habit of smoking, smoked three cigarettes consecutively for nine minutes. RESULTS: Through this experiment, it was confirmed that the COHb level by Pulse CO-Oximetry rose after smoking (6.9 +/- 2.7%: mean +/- SD) and fell after oxygen inhalation (2.5 +/- 2.2%). The correlation coefficient of COHb levels between Pulse CO-Oximetry and blood sample was 0.34. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation coefficient between the COHb level by Pulse CO-Oximetry and that in the blood sample was not so high, but Pulse CO-Oximetry has the potential of changing the way victims of CO exposure are diagnosed and treated, because of its easiness.