Determination of circulating hemoglobin mass and related quantities by using capillary blood.
OBJECTIVE
A standardized carbon monoxide (CO) rebreathing procedure with measurements of CO-hemoglobin, hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), and hematocrit (Hct) enables to determine total Hb mass (Hb(tot)), blood, erythrocyte, and plasma volume (BV, EV, and PV). These calculations are normally based on venous blood samples. However, micromethods also allow determinations from capillary blood.


METHODS
The accuracy of using capillary blood for Hb(tot), BV, EV, and PV determination was evaluated in 42 men (age: 25.1 +/- 4.0 yr, body mass: 80.3 +/- 9.6 kg) by comparison of capillary and venous data.


RESULTS
Capillary Hb(tot) (962 +/- 110 g) did not differ from venous values (959 +/- 106 g). Hb(tot) values were highly correlated (r = 0.987, P < 0.001, SEE 18 g). Also, capillary and venous BV, PV, and EV were highly correlated (0.94 < r < 0.98), but slightly different (-2.7 to 0.9%) because of higher capillary than venous [Hb] and Hct. Coefficients of variation of repeated Hb(tot), EV, PV, and BV measurements (3.0-5.2%) were similar in capillary and venous blood.


CONCLUSIONS
Calculation of Hb(tot) using capillary blood is as accurate and reliable as using venous blood.
Hütler
M
M
Sports Medicine, University Hospital Benjamin Franklin, Free University Berlin, Germany.
Beneke
R
R
Böning
D
D
D000328:Adult; D002196:Capillaries; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume; D006400:Hematocrit; D006452:Hemoglobinometry / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010953:Plasma Volume; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013147:Spirometry; D014680:Veins
D006454:Hemoglobins; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin