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Updated: Jul 24, 2026

Expired CO2 Measurement in Intubated or Spontaneously Breathing Patients from the Emergency Department
Published on: January 29, 2011
[A new cause of false positives when analyzing expired air carbon monoxide]
G Lagrue1, C Mautrait, S Cormier
1Centre de tabacologie Hôpital Albert Chenevier, 40, rue de Mesly 94000 Créteil.
Introduction:
Measurement of expired air carbon monoxide expired is an essential examination to be conducted in smokers during consultation. However, this can be the source of errors, such as that identified in the case report we present here.
Observation:
A 65 year-old man, wishing to stop smoking, consumed a large quantity of polyol-rich sweets and exhibited increased expired air carbon monoxide levels, intestinal gases and increased volume of his liver. All these signs regressed when he stopped taking the sweets.
Comments:
The production of intestinal gases related to polyol and isomalt contained in some products may be the cause of error in the measurement of expired air carbon monoxide.
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