Cancer Diagnosis Program | Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research Branch

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Comparison of simultaneously obtained arterial and capillary blood gases in pediatric intensive care unit patients.

Author(s): Harrison AM, Lynch JM, Dean JM, Witte MK

Publication: Crit Care Med, 1997, Vol. 25, Page 1904-8

PubMed ID: 9366777 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to compare blood gas levels in capillary and arterial blood specimens from children with an indwelling arterial catheter. Arterial and capillary specimens were collected simultaneously, placed on ice, and analyzed immediately.

   Summary of Findings:

   pH levels were highly correlated between arterial and capillary specimens (r=0.903), but there was an average non-significant bias of 0.009 of the capillary specimen pH to be lower than the arterial specimen pH. Importantly, all 6 patients with an arterial blood pH of less than 7.35 had a capillary blood pH of less than 7.35, but 3 patients with an arterial pH of more than 7.35 had a capillary pH of less than 7.35. While the pCO2 was highly correlated between arterial and capillary specimen (r=0.955), pCO2 was generally higher in capillary specimens than in the arterial specimens with an average bias of 0.21 kPa. For most patients the difference in pCO2 was small, but for 2 of the 50 patients the pCO2 differed by more than 0.87 kPa. Importantly, all cases of hypercarbia identified from arterial blood were also identified in capillary blood, but 6 additional cases were found using capillary blood. The partial pressure oxygen was moderately correlated between capillary and arterial specimens, with capillary specimen levels lower than arterial specimens and an average bias of 3.3 kPa, but in 42 of 50 patients, there was a difference of more then 0.87 kPa between capillary and arterial pO2.

   Biospecimens

   • Bodily Fluid - Blood

   Preservative Types

   • Other Preservative
   • None (Fresh)

   Diagnoses:

   • Other diagnoses
   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Gas	Clinical chemistry/auto analyzer
   Small molecule	pH

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Preaquisition	Biomarker level	pH <7.35 pH >7.35 pCO2 <6.1 kPa pCO2 >6.1 kPa
   Biospecimen Acquisition	Anatomical location of blood draw	Artery Capillary

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