Veille documentaire MTPH

Auteur     Georg Staubli
Auteur     Matthias Baumgartner
Auteur     Jörn Oliver Sass
Auteur     Martin Hersberger
Volume     32
Numéro     12
Pages     827-829
Publication     Pediatric Emergency Care
ISSN     1535-1815
Date     Dec 2016Résumé     The efficiency of nitrous oxide in an equimolar mixture with oxygen or in concentrations up to 70% is approved for short painful procedures. Evaluation of the vitamin B12 levels in anesthetic staff applying nitrous oxide showed reduced vitamin B12 plasma levels. This study examines the vitamin B12 status of medical staff working with nitrous oxide in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Medical staff of the ED at the University Children’s Hospital Zurich participated. The vitamin B12 status was evaluated by measuring homocysteine, methylmalonic acid, vitamin B12, blood count, and the MTHFR C677T genotype. As a control group, medical personnel working in the « nitrous oxide-free » pediatric intensive care unit were recruited. RESULTS: The parameters for the vitamin B12 status of all participants were in the reference range, and there were no significant differences for the 2 groups. By trend, the ED staff showed higher vitamin B12 levels. The ED staff members were slightly older (P = 0.07) and had higher hemoglobin levels (P < 0.04) compared with the pediatric intensive care unit staff. CONCLUSIONS: The use of nitrous oxide (50%-70%) with a demand valve is safe for the vitamin B12 status of medical personnel in the ED.