Mathematical Models of the Uptake of Carbon Monoxide on Hemoglobin at Low Carbon Monoxide Levels

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Abstract
Coburn''s differential equation for the uptake of CO by Hb and 2 particular types of this equation were considered and the solutions verified for a group of healthy adults consisting of 73 nonsmoking pedestrians or car passengers exposed to low levels of CO as experienced in the city of Lyon [France]. The CO levels at the breathing level and the walking speed of the subjects were continually measured, and HbCO levels determined at the beginning and end of each test journey. The values of all the other relevant parameters also determined. The half-life of HbCO was studied as a function of the degree of activity, age, sex and height of the subjects. A mathematical model was set up to represent a periodic uptake of CO which made it possible to estimate the variations in HbCO level for any subject during 1 day or 1 wk period without any need to know the initial level.