Cardiac damage in pediatric carbon monoxide poisoning

Background: Cardiovascular disorders including myocardial ischemia and hear t failure have been described in both laboratory animals and humans followi ng carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide cardiotoxicity may be clinica lly occult and often remains undiagnosed because of the lack of overt sympt oms and specific ischemic changes in the electrocardiogram Routine myocardi al necrosis markers have low diagnostic efficiency, particularly in patient s with concomitant skeletal muscle necrosis or multiple organ failure compl icating carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide-induced cardiotoxicity h as been investigated rarely in children. Case Report: This paper describes carbon monoxide poisoning in a 12-year-old child who suffered from occult c ardiac damage despite mild symptoms and low carboxyhemoglobin concentration s. Myocardial and mitral valve dysfunctions were observed, suggesting an is chemia-like syndrome. Cardiac damage was completely reversible within 1 mon th. Conclusion: This case report supports that a prolonged carbon monoxide exposure can cause cardiac damage in children even in the absence of specif ic symptoms, cerebral failure and high carboxyhemoglobin concentrations.