Evaluation of the Ciba Corning 840 blood gas analyzer.
BACKGROUND
Because our laboratory had used the Ciba Corning 200 series blood-gas analyzers for a number of years, we were asked to participate in the evaluation of a premarket unit of the Model 840 analyzer (C840). DESCRIPTION OF DEVICE: The C840 is a bench-top instrument that combines a menu-driven user interface with an automated sampler and integrates software for data management and system diagnostics.


METHODS
We compared the performance of the C840 to a laboratory-based Ciba Corning 278 (C278), analyzing a total of 325 blood samples. We also evaluated the software for routine laboratory applications.


RESULTS
The bias and imprecision (+/- 2 SD) between the C840 and C278 was calculated for pH (+0.004 +/- 0.014 pH units), PCO2 (+1.8 +/- 3.3 torr), and PO2 (+0.01 +/- 9.0 torr for all PO2 ranges; -0.17 +/- 4.8 torr for PO2 < 150 torr).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the analytical performance of the C840 is comparable to the C278, and its data storage and interface capabilities should help laboratories meet CLIA-88 requirements.
Wong
R J
RJ
Stanford University Hospital, CA, USA.
Mahoney
J J
JJ
Van Kessel
A L
AL
D001784:Blood Gas Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D003628:Database Management Systems; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface