APPROVED IFCC RECOMMENDATION ON DEFINITIONS OF QUANTITIES AND CONVENTIONS RELATED TO BLOOD-GASES AND PH

Terminology in blood pH and gas analysis can be confusing, both becaus e more than one name has been used for the same quantity, and because the same name has been used for more than one quantity. In addition, s everal calculated quantities are commonly used, but in some cases many different algorithms have been published for a single quantity. This document contains definitions of the most useful quantities in blood p H and gas analysis, and presents algorithms for the most useful calcul ated quantities. Use of these should lessen confusion among users and should also result in data that are more comparable among laboratories .