Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) is the product of the reaction between hemoglobin and carbon monoxide, and measurement of COHb is used in the diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning. Since carbon monoxide is a common pollutant present in cigarette smoke and car exhaust, it is difficult to be too dogmatic about what...

Millions of times every day, in a myriad of distinctive laboratories around this globe, front-line workers make the final decision on the quality of results they report. If they decide the quality is “OK”, patient results are released to impact clinical decisions, and proficiency values reflect the overall ability...

Interview Fetal scalp Blood Sampling (FBS) – not exactly wishful thinking for the mother, nor for the obstetrician? The procedure is regarded as cumbersome, the sample quality is questionable and the consequences of the result may be instrumental vaginal delivery or Cesarian Section (CS). acutecaretesting.org has...

Reprinted with permission from Elsevier from "Neonate capillary blood gas reference values", by Jocelyne Cousineau, Suzanne Anctil, Ana Carceller, Monique Gonthier and Edgard E. Delvin, CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY, Vol no 38, 2005, pp 905-907. Copyright 2005 by Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. OBJECTIVES Because...

When blood gas analysis reveals a reduced pO₂(a) in a patient without any immediate clinical evidence of hypoxemia, consideration should be given to the possibility that the result is falsely low, allowing a diagnosis of spurious or pseudo-hypoxemia.  Technical deficiencies (e.g. sampling of venous rather than...

The introduction of new clinical procedures may have unanticipated adverse effects. The rising incidence of nosocomial infection has highlighted a critical need for effective hand hygiene among healthcare workers. During the past five years there has been increasing acceptance by health authorities of the...

The standard sample for measurement of blood gases is arterial blood. Arterial puncture is painful and, because of inherent dangers, is usually only performed by qualified medical staff. Arterialized earlobe capillary blood sampling provides a less painful and safer alternative, which can be reliably performed after...

In health, plasma potassium is maintained within the range of 3.5-5.2 mmol/L. Marked increase in potassium level (> 6.5 mmol/L) is considered a clinical emergency because it is associated with high risk of cardiac arrhythmia and, ultimately, cardiac arrest. Collective clinical experience suggests that in the absence...

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein contained in red blood cells (erythrocytes). Although normally present in only trace amounts, there are three species of hemoglobin that cannot transport oxygen.  The three species, collectively called dyshemoglobins because of their functional redundancy, are methemoglobin,...

Lack of homogeneity of a blood sample can lead to incorrect results. In this paper, the quality requirements of a sample prior to mixing, the type of samples, sample collection devices and tools and mechanics of mixing will be highlighted. Issues related to the mixing of samples intended for hematological and blood...