Objectives-To describe the epidemiology of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in a defined population, identifying those at greatest risk from acute poisoning resulting in admission to hospital or death.

Methods-A retrospective study with routinely collected information, set in the former West Midlands Regional Health Authority ; population of 5.2 million.

The data comprised 939 deaths and 701 hospital admissions due to CO poisoning between January 1988 to December 1994.

The main outcome measures were age and sex standardised incidence rates (SIRs) for non-intentional, suicidal, and undetermined poisonings for health authorities and the linear relation with socioeconomic deprivation.

Results

Overall rate of non-intentional poisonings over the 7 year period was 7.6/100 000, an annual rate of 1.1/100 000.

The 7 year rates were highest in people >=85 ; men 24.0/100 000 and women 19.7/100 000.

For suicides the 7 year rate was 19.6/100 000, an annual rate of 2.8/100 000.

The 7 year rates were highest for men of 35-39,64.11100 000, and for women aged 45-49,15.3/100 000.

None of the causes of poisoning were related to deprivation.

Non-intentional poisonings showed a strong seasonal variation with the highest rates being recorded in the months October to March.

Increased rates of poisoning were found in the rural districts of the West Midlands.

There seems to have been a decline in suicides coinciding with the introduction of three way catalytic converters on cars. (...)