Relationship between carbon monoxide intoxication and sister chromatid exchange in lymphocytes

Abstract

Aim: Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication can be serious and is reported to be the cause of more than half of all fatal intoxications. In this study, we aimed to identify its genotoxic effects based on sister chromatid exchange (SCE). Materials and methods: CO-poisoned patients presented to the emergency services department were identified. Their demographic characteristics, vital findings, laboratory markers, source of CO gas, risk factors, and smoking habits were recorded. The genotoxic effect was assessed using the SCE method. Results: A total of 38 patients were recruited. Their ages ranged from 16–64 years (mean: 29.79 ± 10.92 years). In all the cases, the source of CO gas was a flash heater. The mean carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level was 25.05 ± 7.15%. Of all the patients, 12 (31.6%) had a the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of less than 15, and an important negative correlation was found between the GCS and COHb level ( r = −0.825; p < 0.001). Genotoxicity investigations revealed a significantly higher SCE frequency among patients with high COHb levels compared with that of control subjects with physiological COHb levels ( p < 0.001). However, no correlation between increased SCE frequency and COHb level was found ( r = 0.16; p = 0.34). Conclusion: CO poisoning was shown to result in genotoxicity via an increase in the frequency of SCE. This study is the first to demonstrate a genotoxic effect of CO independent of other chemicals.