skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Behavioral effects of carbon monoxide: Meta analyses and extrapolations

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7026782

In the absence of reliable data, the present work was performed to estimate the dose effect function of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) on behavior in humans. By meta analysis, a COHb-behavior dose-effects functions was estimated for rats and corrected for effects of hypothermia (which accompanies COHb increases in rats but not in humans). Using pulmonary function models and blood-gas equations, equivalent COHb values were calculated for data in the literature on hypoxic hypoxia (HH) and behavior. Another meta analysis was performed to fit a dose-effects function to the equivalent-COHb data and to correct for the behavioral effects of hypocapnia (which usually occurs during HH but not with COHb elevation). The two extrapolations agreed closely and indicated that for healthy, sedentary persons, it would require 18-25% COHb to produce a 10% decrement in behavior. Confidence intervals were computed to characterize the uncertainty. Frequent reports of lower-level effects were discussed.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Human Studies Div.
OSTI ID:
7026782
Report Number(s):
PB-95-126413/XAB; EPA-600/J-94/402
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Pub. in Jnl. of Applied Physiology 76, No. 3, 1310-1316(Mar 1994). See also AD-727 510
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Modeling carbon monoxide uptake during work
Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7026782

Comparative study of the effects of carbon monoxide and methylene chloride on human performance
Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · J. Environ. Pathol. Toxicol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7026782

Review: hemodynamic response to carbon monoxide
Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7026782