title: Evaluation of the i-STAT portable point-of-care analyzer for determination of blood gases and acid-base status in newborn calves.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate the i-STAT, a portable hand-held analyzer that allows point-of-care measurement of blood gases, acid-base, lactate, and other blood variables in food animal practice for analysis of blood samples of newborn calves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 271 venous blood samples were analyzed for PvO2 , PvCO2 , pH, base excess (BE), HCO3 , venous saturation of oxygen (SvO2 ), and total carbon dioxide (TCO2 ) using an i-STAT and a Rapidlab 248 bench top analyzer that served as the reference method. l-lactate was measured using the i-STAT as well as photometrically. Results from the i-STAT and the reference methods were compared. The analytes BE, HCO3 , and TCO2 showed a constant systematic error across the entire range with 2.3, 1.9, and 2.0 mmol/L lower values, respectively, than the values measured by the reference method. Based on the combined inherent imprecision of the 2 analyzers and after correcting the influences of systematic errors, the PvO2 , HCO3 , and SvO2 were within the acceptable limits in 76% to 91% of the cases. Ninety-five percent of the measurements of PvCO2 and BE were within acceptable limits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall performance of the i-STAT was good except for BE, HCO3 , and TCO2 , thus limiting its usefulness in clinical studies. However this hand-held device allows rapid, reliable, and accurate point-of-care blood analyses and thus can be useful in bovine practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animals, Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bleul
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Götz
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: acid-base status; asphyxia; bovine; monitoring