ACCURACY OF ACCUSPORT FOR MEASUREMENT OF LACTATE CONCENTRATIONS IN EQUINE BLOOD AND PLASMA

The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between lactate concentrations In equine whole blood and plasma measured with Accuspor t(1) and Yellow Springs Instruments (YSI2) (2300) methods. The effect of packed cell volume (PCV) on the accuracy of Accusport was also inve stigated. Blood samples were collected from Thoroughbred horses at 5-1 0 min intervals after a treadmill exercise test. Blood was added to Na EDTA (for PCV measurement) and to 2 tubes containing lithium heparin a nticoagulant (for lactate assays). At concentrations greater than 10 m mol/l, Accusport(1) greatly underestimated the blood lactate concentra tion. Accusport(1) also underestimated blood lactate concentration whe n PCV were greater than 53%, Accusport(1) accurately measured plasma l actate concentration in the range 0.8-20 mmol/l.