Assessing the ABL 500 blood gas analyser

Abstract

The ABL 500 blood gas analyser from Radiometer has cordless electrodes and does not use a humidifier for calibrating gases. During the evaluation of the analytical performance of this instrument, the problem of p02 accuracy was approached by comparing the values obtained with two kinds of tonometry (film and bubble). An acceptable level of imprecision was demonstrated for all measured parameters. For within-run precision, with tonometry, coefficients of variation (CV) were ≆0.37% for pO2 and ≆0.52% for pCO2. A CV of 1.76% was found for day-to-day precision for both p02 and pCO2. In the linearity study, with both tonometry methods, and in the inter-instrument comparisons (the ABL was compared with the Ciba Corning 178), pO2 values obtained on the ABL 500 exhibited a slight overestimation above 150 mmHg (2.2-3.4% at 600 mmHg). This minor discrepancy is discussed with reference to the new design of the pO2 electrode, the algorithm for pO2 correction and the tonometry procedure. The results reported in this paper stress the importance of pO2 accuracy assessment for the evaluation of blood gas analysers.

Comparison of Enterprise Point‐of‐Care and Nova Biomedical Critical Care Xpress analyzers for determination of arterialpH, blood gas, and electrolyte values in canine and equine blood

“…In both canine and equine blood, the difference between measurements of PaO 2 increased as they trended toward hyperoxic values (Figure A,B), decreasing the agreement between analyzers at that end of the PaO 2 spectrum. This pattern of agreement has been shown in previous studies that compare 2 blood gas analyzers in conditions of nearly 100% oxygen saturation . The difference in the partial pressure of oxygen between blood in the syringe and RA can cause the PaO 2 to decrease when the original sample value is above 150 mm Hg or increase when the sample is below 150 mm Hg .…”

“…This pattern of agreement has been shown in previous studies that compare 2 blood gas analyzers in conditions of nearly 100% oxygen saturation. 19,32,33 The difference in the partial pressure of oxygen between blood in the syringe and RA can cause the PaO 2 to decrease when the original sample value is above 150 mm Hg or increase when the sample is below 150 mm Hg. 30 ) of the mean.…”