title: Effect of Sample Storage Temperature and Time Delay on Blood Gases, Bicarbonate and pH in Human Arterial Blood Samples.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Results of arterial blood gas analysis can be biased by pre-analytical factors, such as time interval before analysis, temperature during storage and syringe type.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of samples storage temperature and time delay on blood gases, bicarbonate and PH results in human arterial blood samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  2.5 mL arterial blood samples were drawn from 45 patients via an indwelling Intraarterial catheter. Each sample was divided into five equal samples and stored in multipurpose tuberculin plastic syringes. Blood gas analysis was performed on one of five samples as soon as possible. Four other samples were divided into two groups stored at 22°C and 0°C. Blood gas analyses were repeated at 30 and 60 minutes after sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PaO2 of the samples stored at 0°C was increased significantly after 60 minutes (P = 0.007). The PaCO2 of the samples kept for 30 and 60 minutes at 22°C was significantly higher than primary result (P = 0.04, P < 0.001). In samples stored at 22°C, pH decreased significantly after 30 and 60 minutes (P = 0.017, P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in other results of samples stored at 0°C or 22°C after 30 or 60 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In samples stored in plastic syringes, overestimation of PaO2 levels should be noted if samples cooled before analysis. In samples stored in plastic syringes, it is not necessary to store samples in iced water when analysis delayed up to one hour.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mohammadhoseini
authors.affiliation: Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Enayat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Safavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seifi
authors.affiliation: Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Soroush
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seifirad
authors.affiliation: Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Firoozbakhsh
authors.affiliation: Advanced Thoracic Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peiman
keywords: Bicarbonate; Blood Gas Analysis; Temperature