USE OF PLASMA FOR ARTERIAL BLOOD-GAS ANALYSIS IN LEUKEMIA

A 63-year-old patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia presented with severe hypoxemia. However, the patient's hemoglobin saturation, measu red by an ear oximeter, was normal. Although his WBC count was approxi mately 1,000,000/mu l, hypoxemia could not be explained by the consump tion of oxygen by leukocytes. Therefore, arterial blood gas values wer e analyzed in both plasma as well as in whole blood. The PaO2 in the p lasma was much higher than in whole blood and corresponded with the he moglobin saturation measured by the ear oximeter. These findings sugge st that very high leukocyte counts may interfere with the measurement of oxygen tension and that plasma may be used for blood gas analysis i n this situation.