Test Directory

Blood Gases (H+, pCO2, pO2, bicarbonate, Base Excess, Lactate

Containers - Adult

Gas Syringe	Volume Range Full Additive per Container Heparin

Containers - Child

Capillary Tube	Volume Range 65 µL Additive per Container Capillary must be heparinised.

Reference ranges

Adult (arterial):

H+: 35 - 45 nmol/L

pH: 7.35 - 7.45
pCO2 male: 4.67 - 6.40 kPa

pCO2 female: 4.27 - 6.00 kPa
pO2: 11.1 - 14.4 kPa
Bicarbonate: 21 - 29 mmol/L

Base Excess: -2.0 - +3.0 mmol/L

Std Bicarbonate: 21-29 mmol/L

Lactate (arterial): 0.5 - 1.6 mmol/L. Lacate (venous): 0.6 - 2.4 mmol/L

Oxygen saturation: 95 - 99 %

Paediatric (arterial):

H+ <3 yrs: 34 - 48 nmol/L

H+ 3-18 yrs: 35 - 43 nmol/L

pCO2 < 3yrs: 3.8 - 5.5 kPa

pCO2 3-18 yrs: 4.2 - 5.7 kPa

pO2 <3 yrs: 8.0 -14.0 kPa

pO2 3-18 yrs: 10.0 - 14.0 kPa

Bicarbonate <3yrs: 17 - 25 mmol/L

Bicarbonate 3-18 yrs: 19 - 27 mmol/L

Laboratory Site

RIE

51 Little France Crescent
Old Dalkeith Road
Edinburgh
EH16 4SA

Telephone (Biochemistry): 0131 242 6806

SJH

Howden Road West
Howden
Livingston
West Lothian
EH54 6PP

Telephone (Biochemistry): 01506 52 3160/1

WGH

Crewe Road South
Edinburgh
EH4 2XU

Telephone (Biochemistry): 0131 537 1910/1

Transport arrangements

Avoid use of air tube.

Special instructions for collection

Expel air bubbles from the syringe and mix by gentle inversion. Remove needle and cap syringe. Samples should reach lab within 30 minutes and not be iced but kept at room temperature.

Anticipated turnaround

2 hours

General additional information

Point-of-Care testing for blood gases includes all of the above plus the following:

Sodium: 135 - 145 mmol/L

Potassium: 3.6-5.0 mmol/L

Chloride: 95-107 mmol/L

Ionised Calcium: 1.15-1.29 mmol/L

Anion gap: 10 - 20 mmol/L

Glucose (blood): mmol/L

Bilirubin: 0 - 21 µmol/L

Oxyhaemoglobin: 94 - 98 %

Carboxyhaemoglobin: 0 - 1.5 %

Methaemoglobin: 0 - 1.5 %

Lactate: Possible interference from ethylene glycol on lactate (Point-of-care blood gas analyser). Confirm unexpectedly high results by sending plasma lactate sample to Biochemistry laboratory.