Delayed neuropsychiatric syndrome after carbon monoxide poisoning

Abstract

arbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless and nonirritating gas 1. In Spain, most of the accidents due to CO poisoning are caused by water heaters2,3,4. CO binds to hemoglobin with much greater affinity than oxygen, for- ming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and resulting in impaired oxygen transport and utilization.XS In up to 40 percent of patients with significant CO exposure, a delayed neuropsy- chiatric syndrome (DNS) can arise 3 to 240 days after appa- rent recovery, characterized by cognitive deficits, personality changes, movement disorders, and focal neurologic deficits, which may persist for a year or longer.