ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between blood nitrogen monoxide(NO) and PaO2 or PaCO2 levels in patients with severe and moderate acute carbon monoxide poisoning.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The blood levels of NO in patients with severe and moderate acute carbon monoxide poisoning was assayed with nitrate reductase method, and its correlation with the blood levels of PaO2 and PaCO2 was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The blood level of NO in patients with severe and moderate acute carbon monoxide poisoning were (36.6 +/- 9.9) and (35.7 +/- 10.7) mumol/L respectively, significantly lower than that of control group[(64.9 +/- 14.3) mumol/L, P < 0.01], but there was no significant difference between moderate and severe patients(P > 0.05). The analysis of linear correlation showed that there was significant positive correlation between NO and PaO2 but not PaCO2.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Anoxia of patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning may be an important cause to reduce NO level in blood. This study provides the basis for low NO concentration inhalation in treatments of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.</p>