The Poisoning Severity Score was developed in Europe to grade the findings in a person with acute poisoning. Lee et al modified it slightly for patients with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Systems evaluated in the original PSS of Pearson et al:
(1) gastrointestinal tract
(2) respiratory tract
(3) cardiovascular system
(4) nervous system
(5) local symptoms
(6) kidney
(7) liver
(8) metabolic
(9) hematologic system
(10) muscular system
Severity grades:
(1) Grade 0: not affected
(2) Grade 1: mild
(3) Grade 2: moderate
(4) Grade 3: severe
(5) Grade 4: fatal
Modifications for carbon monoxide poisoning:
(1) blood percent carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) replaces hematologic system
(2) serum lactate replaces metabolic
Parameter
Finding
Grade
percent COHb
10 to 25%
1
25.1 to 49.9%
2
>= 50%
3
serum lactate
> 2 to 5 mmol/L
1
5.1 to 10 mmol/L
2
> 10 mmol/L
3
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