Accuracy of microcentrifuged hematocrits in the emergency department.
This study tests whether hematocrits (Hcts) can be accurately measured in an emergency department by microcentrifuge technique. Prior to obtaining the results of a laboratory Hct (LAB Hct), microcentrifuged Hcts (MC Hcts) were determined on 204 emergency department patients. The average difference for LAB Hct--MC Hct was -0.539 +/- 1.64 (SD). The 95% confidence interval was (-0.76, -0.31) for the difference scores and (1.49, 1.81) for the SD. The two techniques had excellent correlation (r = 0.96). Plotting the MC Hct against the LAB Hct produced a line of best fit that essentially passed through the origin (Y intercept = 0.31) and had a slope of 1.006 (both t's < 1). When only the Hct is desired, MC Hcts can be performed in place of LAB Hcts without compromising accuracy.
Bartfield
J M
JM
Department of Emergency Medicine, Albany Medical College, New York 12208.
Robinson
D
D
Lekas
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015982:Bias; D002498:Centrifugation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results