Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis has an important role in the clinical assessment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). However, arterial puncture or insertion of an arterial catheter has many drawbacks. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether venous blood gas (VBG) values of pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO 2 ) and oxygen (PO 2 ), bicarbonate (HCO 3 ), and oxygen saturation (SO 2 ) can reliably predict ABG levels in patients with AECOPD. One hundred and thirty-two patients with a prior diagnosis of COPD presenting with acute exacerbation according to AECOPD criteria were included in this prospective study. AECOPD is defined as a recent increase in cough, wheezing, the volume and purulence of sputum or shortness of breath necessitating a change in regular medication, including corticosteroids or antibiotics. ABG samples were taken immediately after venous sampling, and both were analyzed. Linear regression analysis was performed and equations were established for the estimation of arterial values. The Pearson correlation coefficients for pH, PCO 2 , HCO 3 , PO 2 , and SO 2 were 0.934, 0.908, 0.927, 0.252, and 0.296, respectively. There was a significant correlation between ABG and VBG values of pH, PCO 2 , and HCO 3 ( p < 0.001). Linear regression equations for the estimation of pH, PCO 2 , and HCO 3 were as follows: arterial pH = 1.004 × venous pH; arterial PCO 2 = 0.873 × venous PCO 2 ; and arterial HCO 3 = 0.951 × venous HCO 3 . VBG analysis can reliably predict the ABG values of pH, PCO 2 and HCO 3 in patients with AECOPD. blood gas; arterial; venous; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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BackgroundTo evaluate the etiological and demographic characteristics of adult poisoning patients followed up in a toxicology unit in Konya, Turkey.MethodsPatients (≥ 15 years old) followed up with the diagnosis of poisoning in our toxicology unit in 2011 were included in this retrospective study. The patients’ medical records were investigated. Age, gender, medical history, the first medical center the patient had been admitted to, the routes and causes of poisoning, the toxins involved, the number of the pills taken, treatments, complications, the length of stay in the hospital and the outcome were recorded.ResultsA total of 623 patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 28.1 ± 15.1. Four hundred and forty-five (71.4%) of patients were female, 541 (86.9%) of them were poisoned via the oral route and 75 (12.0%) of them were poisoned by inhalation. The causes of poisoning were drugs in 408 (65.5%) patients, pesticides/insecticides in 58 (9.3%) patients and carbon monoxide in 49 (7.9%) patients. The commonly used drugs were as follows: analgesics (57.2%), antidepressants (25.4%) and gastrointestinal system drugs (15.8%). The poisonings were suicidal in 489 (78.5%) patients, accidental in 120 (19.3%) patients and overdose in 14 (2.2%) patients. The number of women was higher in the suicide group. At the end of the treatment, 604 (97.0%) of the patients were discharged and 3 (0.4%) of them died. The duration of follow-up was 39.2 ± 37.5 h.ConclusionThe most common causes of poisoning are drugs, pesticides/insecticides and carbon monoxide. Health and educational policies at a national level are needed in order to prevent this medicosocial problem. Furthermore, specially equipped toxicology units should be constructed for the treatment and follow-up of the poisoned patients in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality to a significant extent.

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