Comparison of fingertip to arterial blood samples at rest and during exercise.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to determine whether arterialized fingertip blood-gas samples are comparable to arterial samples at rest and at exercise.


METHODS
Repeated measures, with subjects serving as their own controls.


METHODS
Department of Anesthesia, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (January to April 2004).


METHODS
Fifteen healthy men (age = 25 +/- 4 y; weight = 76.4 +/- 11.4 kg; height = 180.7 +/- 8.0 cm; peak oxygen uptake or VO2peak = 46.0 +/- 9.0 mL . kg . min).


METHODS
Arterial blood gases, metabolites, electrolytes.


RESULTS
Blood sampled simultaneously from the radial artery and warmed fingertip at rest and during 2 levels of exercise (vigorous 181 W or 70% VO2peak; maximal 261 W or 100% VO2peak) on a electronically braked ergometer. Arterial partial pressure of oxygen in blood combining rest and the 2 exercise levels was on average 13.6 +/- 9.0 mm Hg higher than arterialized fingertip samples, with the largest difference occurring at rest (18.8 +/- 6.5 mm Hg; 95% CI = 15.5, 22.1) and the smallest difference occurring at the highest level of exercise (8.3 +/- 9.2 mm Hg; 95% CI = 3.6, 13.0; P < 0.05). The pattern for oxyhemoglobin saturation was the same, showing statistical differences between the sampling sites with the differences reduced at the highest exercise intensity. In contrast, there was no difference in arterial and arterialized partial pressure of carbon dioxide in blood (-1.0 +/- 1.5 mm Hg; 95% CI = -1.4, -0.6), or plasma lactate, glucose, pH, hemoglobin, and electrolytes between both sampling sites at rest or at the 2 exercise levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Arterialized fingertip blood samples at rest and during exercise can predict arterial carbon dioxide pressure, and can predict arterial plasma lactate, glucose, pH, hemoglobin, and electrolytes; but not arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation or arterial oxygen pressure.
Zavorsky
Gerald S
GS
Department of Anesthesia, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. gerald.zavorsky@mcgill.ca
Lands
Larry C
LC
Schneider
Wolfgang
W
Carli
Franco
F
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000378:metabolism*; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011792:Quebec; D012146:Rest