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Articles and journal scans about Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
September 2016
Is venous blood an acceptable alternative to arterial blood for blood gas analysis – and can pulse oximetry help make it so?
Blood gas analysis, which involves measurement of three parameters: blood pH, pCO2 and pO2, is almost unique among routine blood tests in its requirement for arterial blood. All other blood tests are performed on venous blood or occasionally, capillary blood.
Collection of arterial blood is technically more demanding ...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Quality assurance
Journal Scan
May 2016
Spurious hypoxemia, a pre-analytical error of blood gas analysis examined
Blood gas analysis provides the means for assessing patient oxygenation status by measurement of two parameters: the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (pO2(a)) and % oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in arterial blood (sO2(a)).
Most accurate reflection of in vivo pO2(a) and sO2(a) requires that measurement...
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
January 2016
Is central venous blood an acceptable sample for blood gas analysis?
Blood gas analysis involves measurement of three parameters: pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) and partial pressure of oxygen (pO2). Derived (calculated from these measured values) parameters also generated during blood gas analysis include: bicarbonate (HCO3) concentration, base excess (BE) and oxygen...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
July 2014
Heparin anticoagulation of samples for blood gas analysis
Since the inception of blood gas analysis, heparin has been the anticoagulant of choice for preparation of samples. Historically, syringes used to collect arterial blood for gas analysis were prepared ”in house” by aspirating a small volume of liquid heparin (LH) and then expelling it. The thin film of liquid heparin...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
May 2014
Venous versus arterial blood for blood gas analysis – revisited
Arterial blood is the “gold standard” sample for blood gas analysis. Compared with venous blood sampling, arterial blood sampling is technically more difficult as well as being more painful and hazardous to the patient. These are among the considerations that drive the continuing research interest in establishing...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Quality assurance
Journal Scan
July 2013
Timing of sampling for blood gases following change in oxygen therapy
Patients with chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) may need long-term oxygen therapy, monitored with blood gas analysis (pO2(a) and sO2(a)). It is important that when adjustments are made to this therapy (either increase or decrease in fraction inspired oxygen, FIO2) there should be delay until a new steady...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
April 2013
Hemolysis in samples for blood gas analysis
Hemolysis causes clinically significant bias in four of twelve parameters generated during blood gas analysis. That is the headline finding of a recently published study that is, according to the authors, the first ever to investigate the effect of hemolysis on blood gas analytes. Venous blood was sampled from nine...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
October 2012
Towards pain-free blood gases
Blood gas analysis is unique among blood tests in its requirement for arterial blood; all others are performed on venous, or more rarely, capillary blood samples. Sampling arterial blood is a technically difficult procedure to perform, and painful for the patient: significantly more painful than sampling either venous ...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
October 2012
Choice of blood gas syringe – does it matter?
The preanalytical phase of laboratory testing has long been recognized as a stage for potential error, and blood gas analysis is a test that is well-recognized as being particularly vulnerable in this regard. Much research has been directed at devising procedures that minimize variability of measured blood gas...
Blood gases/acid-base
Quality assurance
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
April 2012
Increased laboratory testing of trauma patients
A significant increase in the use of blood tests for the management of trauma patients has had little overall effect in terms of survival following trauma, or the length of time those who survive have to spend in hospital.
This is a headline finding from a recently published study examining the clinical impact of...
Process optimization
Quality assurance
Preanalytical phase