Bone marrow aspirate as an accessible and reliable source for critical laboratory studies.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether laboratory studies performed on bone marrow aspirate can be used to predict values in the peripheral blood of human beings.


METHODS
Prospective correlative study.


METHODS
Tertiary care pediatric hospital.


METHODS
Fifteen patients from the hematology-oncology division of Children's Hospital, Oakland, California, were studied during routine diagnostic bone marrow aspirations.


METHODS
Aliquots of serum and bone marrow obtained as part of routine diagnostic studies were analyzed.


RESULTS
Venous and bone marrow samples were analyzed for blood gas values, hemoglobin, and serum chemistries. Bone marrow specimens were found to reliably predict venous values of pH, bicarbonate, base excess, PCO2, hematocrit, sodium, chloride, and glucose. Bone marrow was not predictive of blood oxygenation, potassium, or ionized calcium.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates in human beings what has previously been shown in animals--that the bone marrow is an alternative source of blood for a variety of laboratory studies.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital, Oakland, California 94609.
J
J
Grisham
C
C
Hastings
D000293:Adolescent; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies
D001786:Blood Glucose