Arterial versus capillary sampling for analysing blood gas pressures

Abstract
We recruited 55 patients requiring measurement of blood gas pressures from patients admitted urgently to Kettering General Hospital. The study's protocol was approved by the district's ethics committee, and informed written consent was obtained for the blood sampling. The clinical diagnoses were exacerbation of chronic obstructive airways disease (22 patients), asthma (10), pneumonia (5), pulmonary oedema (4), pulmonary embolism (4), diabetic ketoacidosis (4), bronchiectasis (3), fibrosing alveolitis (2), hyperventilation (1).