The significance of a high plasma ammonia value.
At a tertiary referral centre, just over 50% of patients with plasma ammonia values over 200 micro mol/l had inborn errors of metabolism. To distinguish artefactual high values from those requiring treatment, the measurement should be repeated immediately if the result is above 200 micro mol/l and at lower concentrations if the patient is encephalopathic.
Chow
S L
SL
Metabolic Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
Gandhi
V
V
Krywawych
S
S
Clayton
P T
PT
Leonard
J V
JV
Morris
A A M
AA
D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D022124:Hyperammonemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
D000641:Ammonia