Comparison of the effects of hyperbaric and normobaric oxygen treatments on the repolarisation parameters of electrocardiography in children with carbon monoxide poisoning

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) induced hyper-oxygenation and normobaric oxygen therapy (NBOT) on myocardial repolarisation parameters in children with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 77 girls and boys aged 0–18 years who were diagnosed and treated for CO poisoning. There were no changes in the routine clinical evaluation and treatment practices of patients. Patients who received NBOT (n=40) and HBOT (n=37) were divided into two groups. These groups were compared in terms of their demographic characteristics, carboxyhaemoglobin, lactate, troponin levels and myocardial repolarisation parameters of electrocardiography (ECG) (Tp-e interval, Tp-e dispersion, QTc and Tp-e/QTc ratio). Results: There were no significant intergroup differences in terms of carboxyhaemoglobin, lactate and troponin levels at the time of admission; admission and post-treatment Tp-e, Tp-e dispersion, corrected QTc and TPe/QTc ratio and post-treatment change rates of each ECG parameter. Conclusion: There was no intergroup difference in terms of repolarisation parameters of ECG in children with CO poisoning. The possible reason for this may be myocardial reperfusion damage due to hyper-oxygenation associated with HBOT therapy.