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Journal Scan
April 2009
Correcting potassium concentration of hemolyzed samples
Hemolysis, the breakdown of erythrocyte (red-cell) membranes, can occur in vivo as a result of disease, or more commonly in vitro when it is most usually a consequence of poor blood collection or sample handling technique.
Hemolysis is of significance for laboratory staff because it results in the release of...
Blood gases/acid-base
Preanalytical phase
Journal Scan
January 2009
A comprehensive review of neonatal jaundice
All newborn babies have, by comparison with adults, a raised serum concentration of unconjugated (and therefore total) bilirubin, due principally to the transient increase in red cell destruction associated with the move from intrauterine support to physiological independence.
In close to half of all newborns the...
Bilirubin
Neonatology
Journal Scan
January 2009
Frequency of blood gas analysis among intensive care patients
The factors that influence critical care nursing staff when making the decision to sample blood for arterial blood gas analysis is the subject of a recent UK study. The authors of this study specifically sought to establish if there is an association between patient values for four parameters (FO2(I) , pCO2, pO2 and % ...
Blood gases/acid-base
Journal Scan
January 2009
Plasma sodium concentration in the critically ill
Over a third of patients admitted to intensive care develop hypernatremia (raised serum sodium concentration) or hyponatremia (reduced plasma sodium concentration) within a few days of admission. Both hypo- and hypernatremia acquired after admission prolong hospital stay and decrease chance of survival.
These are the ...
Electrolytes
Journal Scan
January 2009
Correcting metabolic acidosis - is it beneficial? Is it safe?
Metabolic acidosis is the most common disturbance of acid-base balance among the critically ill of all ages, usually due to increased lactate production consequent on inadequate tissue perfusion and/or hypoxemia. The condition is characterized by primary reduction in bicarbonate and pH revealed during arterial blood...
Lactate
Neonatology
Journal Scan
January 2009
EDTA contamination - a cause of spurious hyperkalemia that can go undetected
The anticoagulant potassium ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (K+ EDTA) is present in sample tubes used to collect samples for full blood count (FBC) and some other tests. However, the anticoagulant has the effect of markedly increasing plasma potassium concentration and reducing plasma calcium, magnesium and zinc...
Preanalytical phase
Electrolytes
Journal Scan
October 2008
Permissive hypercapnia for neonates given a clean bill of health - almost
Premature, very-low-birth-weight babies have immature lungs and
frequently require mechanical ventilation to ensure the gas
(O2, CO2) exchange necessary for survival.
Ventilation sufficiently aggressive to maintain partial pressure of
carbon dioxide in blood (pCO2) within normal
limits can cause mechanical damage to...
Blood gases/acid-base
Neonatology
Journal Scan
October 2008
Limitation of pulse oximetry - a case report
Pulse oximetry provides a simple non-invasive method of monitoring
the oxygenation status of patients by indirectly measuring the
percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen, i.e. %
oxygen saturation (SpO2). Pulse oximetry has important
limitations, including inaccurate readings in patients with
inherited...
Hemoglobins
Blood gases/acid-base
Journal Scan
October 2008
Reliability of point of care potassium measurement confirmed
Blood gas analysis has been performed at the point of care for well
over 20 years and is sufficiently established for clinicians to
have no misgivings about using pH, pCO2 and
pO2 results obtained at the point of care for
direct patient management.
Modern blood gas analyzers now have the
capacity to measure not only...
Electrolytes
Point-of-care testing
Journal Scan
October 2008
Glucose measurement in the intensive care unit
Fingerstick (capillary blood) samples are not suitable for
glucose measurement in an intensive care setting and whole-blood
glucose results obtained using a blood gas analyzer agree more
closely with reference laboratory measurement than a dedicated
point-of-care glucose meter. These are the two headline conclusions...
Glucose