THE VALIDITY OF pH AND Pco2 MEASUREMENTS IN CAPILLARY SAMPLES IN SICK AND HEALTHY NEWBORN INFANTS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study has demonstrated that in healthy newborn infants over 3 hours of age, pH aIld Pco2 of "arterialized" capillary samples reflect closely the values of arterial blood. Prior to this age and in infants with impaired cardiopulmonary function the agreement between samples from the two sources is less satisfactory. In these infants only limited conclusions regarding acid-base state and alveolar ventilation can be drawn from capillary blood pH and Pco2. The metabolic component of acid-base disturbances can be assessed with a fair degree of accuracy even if the capillary sample is "venous" in character.