Eighteen patients with advanced COPD, 8 with chronic respiratory failure (RF) and 10 without (nonRF, NRF) were investigated using spirometry, arterial blood gas analysis and biopsies taken from the quadriceps femorls muscle. The biopsies were analysed for ATP, creatine phosphate (CrP), creatine (Cr), lactate and glycogen content. Muscle fibre composition was also studied. Low concentrations of ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate respiratory and metabolic components of gestational age-dependent umbilical cord blood gas changes. STUDY DESIGN Cord blood gases were determined in 1336 vigorous singletons with uncomplicated cephalic vaginal delivery at 37-43 weeks. Linear regression analysis and non-parametric statistics were used with a P < 0.05 being significant. RESULTS Gestational age correla...

Pulmonary and systemic blood flow and pulmonary vascular resistance were measured in 21 children with congenital heart disease. Blood flow was calculated by the direct Fick method, using measurements of metabolic gas exchange obtained by remote respiratory mass spectrometry. The observations showed that the administration of oxygen caused an appreciable fall in pulmonary vascular resistance in ...

In this issue of RESPIRATORY CARE, Van de Louw et al1 describe the magnitude of spurious hypoxemia as suggested by arterial blood gases (ABGs) obtained from subjects with acute leukemia and hyperleukocytosis. Spurious hypoxemia, commonly known as leukocyte larceny, is just one of several erroneous values or discrepancies with pulse oximetry and the bedside assessment (or bioassay) that may occu...

Arterial blood gas tensions were measured before and during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, with (group I) and without (group 2) sedation with intravenous diazepam. There was a highly significant fall in the PaO2, which occurred in both groups and was therefore not attributable to diazepam. Measurement of FEV, and FVC before endoscopy had no predictive value for those patients whose PaO2 fell...

This is the first of a two-part unit on arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, and focuses on background information and basic interpretation of ABGs where no evident compensation is taking place. It discusses the various components on an ABG report, the normal ranges and the significance of abnormal readings. A detailed step-by-step guide to ABG interpretation is available in the Portfolio Pages f...

BACKGROUND Isovolemic anemia results in improved gas exchange in rabbits with normal lungs but in relatively poorer gas exchange in rabbits with whole-lung atelectasis. In the current study, the authors characterized the effects of hemodilution on gas exchange in a distinct model of diffuse lung injury: venous gas embolization. METHODS Twelve anesthetized rabbits were mechanically ventilated ...

BACKGROUND No studies have examined the clinical utility of arterial blood gas (ABG) values during spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) for making extubation decisions. Nonetheless many intensive care units measure ABGs during an SBT to determine, in conjunction with other data, whether the SBT was successful. OBJECTIVE Determine how often ABG values change extubation decisions. METHODS Each...

In a steady state the rate of removal of COz from the blood into the alveoli equals its rate of removal from alveoli to atmosphere. There is a gradient of COz concentration from mixed venous blood to alveolar gas or arterial blood and then to mixed expired gas. The mixed venous to alveolar (or arterial) difference depends upon cardiac output (Fick) and the alveolar (or arterial) to mixed expire...

Substitution of arterial with venous blood samples to estimate blood gas status is highly preferable due to practical and safety concerns. Numerous studies support the substitution of arterial by venous blood samples, reporting strong correlations between arterial and venous values. This study further investigated the predictive ability of venous blood samples for arterial Acid-Base Balance (pH...