Citation

Lisbona CF, Hamnett HJ. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 63(6): 1776-1782.

Affiliation

Forensic Medicine & Science, School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing, University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, U.K.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13790

PMID

29649351

Abstract

Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxications are quite frequent in forensic toxicology. Using a sample of 209 CO-positive deaths in Scotland from 2007 to 2016, this study provides ranges of percentage CO saturations (%COHb) according to the CO source and examines any correlation with age, gender, alcohol, and preexisting disease. It also reports the full toxicological findings, including drug concentrations, in CO-positive cases. The highest numbers of fatalities involved males, occurred during autumn/winter, and the main source of CO was fire. The median %COHb in fire-related cases was significantly lower than in non-fire-related cases such as those involving exhausts, generators and gas supply systems, and portable BBQs. There was no relationship between %COHb and age, blood alcohol concentration, or the presence of preexisting cardiovascular and/or respiratory disease. Toxicology results revealed that prescription medications were the most commonly detected drug group and that the number of cases positive for controlled drugs was small.

© 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

carbon monoxide; death; drugs; fire; forensic science; suicide