Carbon Monoxide
| Abbrev Code: | CO | ||
| Order Code: | LAB3398 | Order Name: | Carbon Monoxide |
| Synonyms: | Carboxyhemoglobin; CO Hb | ||
| Methodology: | Spectrophotometric analysis of hemolysate | ||
| CPT Codes: | 82375 x1 | ||
| Turnaround Time: | Performed and reported 24 hours/day. | ||
| Special Instructions: | Green (lithium heparin, no gel) and Green (sodium heparin, no gel) are acceptable tube types for Outreach and non-Co testing Fairview sites. For in-house testing, a dry heparin syringe is the preferred sample type. | ||
Collection Instructions
| Specimen: | Whole Blood (arterial, venous, capillary) |
| Optimal Volume: | 1 mL |
| Minimum\Peds Volume: | 0.5 mL (3 mL syringe); 0.2 mL (tuberculin syringe); 0.1 mL (capillary tube) |
| Container: | St Johns/Woodwinds - Dry heparin syringe, Dry heparin syringe Alternate Containers: Capillary (lithium heparin) gas tube, Green (sodium heparin, no gel) |
| Collection Instructions: | Sample should be free of air bubbles. If collecting in green (heparin, no gel), do not remove stopper. Do not process. |
| Patient Preparation: | If carboxyhemoglobin is to be tested to work up smoking and COPD, collect samples as soon after the patient has smoked as possible. If the patient is a smoker or may have occupational exposure (e.g., mechanics), a sample collected in the late afternoon or evening may be more useful than a sample collected in the morning. Moderate levels of CO can be cleared from the blood in hours. |
| Causes for Rejection: | Gross lipemia or the presence of >1% sulfhemoglobin. Samples collected in a gel tube. |
Processing and Shipping
| Specimen Processing: | Do not process. Store at room temperature. |
| Shipping Instructions: | Ship at room temperature or on ice. Must arrive within 72 hours. |
| Test Performed at or Referral Lab | Chemistry (CSC Mpls, Grand Itasca, Lakes, Northland, Range, Ridges, Southdale, St. John's, UMMC East Bank, UMMC West NICU, UMMC/UMMCH-West Bank, Woodwinds) |
Interpretive
| Critical Range: | Disturbance of judgment, headache, and dizziness occur at 10-30%; coma at 50-60%; fatality can occur at 60% or more; and rapid death at levels of 80%.
Whole Blood Testing Critical Values and Reference Ranges |
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| Reference Range: |
Slight dyspnea may occur with even limited CO2 elevation. Whole Blood Testing Critical Values and Reference Ranges |
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| Use: | Evaluate for suspected toxicity. |
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