Regulation of breathing in cases of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

The contribution of the central and peripheral nervous system to the regulation of breathing in acute carbon monoxide poisoning was evaluated through the analysis of respiratory pattern parameters, mainly the values of tidal volume to the inspiratory flow (VT/T(in)--driving component), and the relation of inspiratory time to the total cycle time (T(in)/T(tot)--timing component). In the examination performed as soon as possible after poisoning, an increase in the value of the VT/T(in) parameter and a diminishing of T(in)/T(tot) value were noted. Lightly poisoned subjects showed higher dynamics of changes in the regulation of breathing than the medium and severely poisoned patients. Both respiratory pattern components, measured after treatment, were in the lightly poisoned group comparable to the healthy subjects, whereas in the medium and severely poisoned group the value of VT/T(in) was elevated, and the value of T(in)/T(tot) was lessened in comparison to the control counterpart. Both respiratory pattern components significantly correlated to the blood lactace level, and to the degree of poisoning estimated in a complex way.