Arterial blood is the standard sample for blood gas analysis but arterial blood sampling is more painful and hazardous to the patient. Such is the relative convenience and safety of sampling venous blood that several studies have sought to investigate the validity of its use as a substitute for arterial blood.  The...

Increased serum bilirubin (hyperbilirubinemia) and consequent jaundice are common during the neonatal period. Around 50 % of newborns develop some degree of jaundice, during the first week of life, but for the vast majority this is mild (serum bilirubin peaking no higher than 150-200 µmol/L) and spontaneously resolves ...

Tartu University Hospital has improved the quality of blood gas testing in its clinical laboratory and critical care units by introducing an automatic system for blood gas analysis [1].

Part 2: Red flags The transition from fetus to newborn is a process of rapid physiological adaptation that is sometimes delayed by complications. Most newborns complete the process of transition with little or no delay.  These infants may demonstrate normal transitional findings, including tachypnea and tachycardia, ...

In 2005, acutecaretesting.org interviewed Dr Michael Astion, an active spokesperson for patient safety and reduction of lab errors, on the main issues surrounding the topic. Since then, a lot has changed… or has it? In a follow-up interview with Astion, acutecaretesting.org gauges the status of patient safety year...

Homeostatic mechanisms ensure that in health the extracellular fluid (ECF) concentration of electrolytes, including calcium, is maintained within well-defined limits. Abnormality in ECF calcium concentration can have profound adverse effects.  The most common means of assessing calcium status is to measure total...

Part 1: The physiology of transition The transition from fetus to neonate is a critical time of physiological adaptation. While the majority of term infants complete this process in a smooth and organized fashion, some infants experience a delay in transition or exhibit symptoms of underlying disease. Careful...

This essay is a follow-up to the 2006 series expressing concern that there is a widespread gap between QC theory and QC practice. Now we are giving you, the reader, the opportunity to rate your own QC practice and to help prove or disprove that gap.  If the QC theories generally recommended by recognized QC experts ...

The critical significance of the preanalytical phase of blood testing is highlighted by the tragically fatal case of an intensive-care patient who was given an inappropriately high dose of insulin following a falsely high blood glucose result. The patient was recovering from multiple organ failure following surgery in ...

Plasma sodium and chloride concentration are routinely measured using either a direct or indirect ion-specific electrode (ISE). Direct ISE is the technique employed in blood gas and most other point-of-care analyzers whereas indirect ISE is used in the majority of biochemistry profiling analyzers sited in central...