title: Correcting arterial blood gases for temperature: (when) is it clinically significant?
abstract: Interpreting arterial blood gases (ABGs) is a common practice in intensive care units. The use of the temperature correction facility, however, is not standardized, and the effects of temperature correction on the ABG result may affect the overall management of the patient. The aim of this study was to discuss the significance of temperature correction. Current practice in the UK and Australia is discussed along with a review of physiological principles of oxygenation and acid-base balance. The alpha-stat and pH-stat methods of blood gas analysis are presented, with arguments for and against using the temperature correction facility for blood gas analysis. The study concludes with recommendations for practice.
authors.affiliation: John Hunter Hospital, New South Wales, Australia. jamie_bisson@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bisson
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Younker
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000502:physiology; D001315:Australia; D019985:Benchmarking; D015982:Bias; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards; D001831:Body Temperature; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005334:Fever / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000378:metabolism; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D006113:United Kingdom