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Case Reports
. 2023 Apr 1;15(4):e37019.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.37019. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Atypical Presentation of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning With Aphasia

Griffin Shimp  1 , Adam Fratczak  2 , Jeffrey A Nielson  2 , Rebecca Perry  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Atypical Presentation of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning With Aphasia

Griffin Shimp et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

We present a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning with a single focal neurological deficit. The patient was found by emergency medical services (EMS) to be resting in his truck with a generator running nearby. On arrival, the patient was hemodynamically stable. The patient was aphasic but did not exhibit any other focal or lateralizing deficits. He was able to communicate by writing clearly and coherently on a sheet of paper. His initial carboxyhemoglobin was 29%, confirming the diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning. He was treated with 100% O2 via a non-rebreather mask and regained his speech during his ED (emergency department) course. The patient was ultimately hospitalized for continued oxygen treatment and serial examinations. This case highlights the varied presenting symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning as well as the importance of including a broad differential diagnosis while working up patients with a focal neurologic deficit.

Keywords: accidental poisoning; altered mental state; applied toxicology; carbon monoxide; emergency medicine; expressive aphasia; focal neurologic deficits; oxygen therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The patient's carboxyhemoglobin level over time
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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