EVALUATION OF A NEW BLOOD-CONSERVING ARTERIAL LINE SYSTEM FOR PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE-CARE UNITS

Objective: To evaluate blood samples obtained from a new blood-conserv ing arterial line system for the presence of hemodilution or heparin c ontamination. Design: Prospective, clinical trial. Setting. A coronary intensive care unit in a tertiary-care teaching hospital. Patients: C ardiovascular patients in whom invasive arterial blood pressure monito ring was indicated. Interventions: Paired blood samples were obtained from a conventional arterial line system and a new blood-conserving ar terial line system for the measurement of hematocrit and partial throm boplastin time, and compared to evaluate for the presence of either he modilution or heparin contamination. Measurements and Main Results: A Bland-Altman bias analysis of the variability between the two blood dr aw methods was performed. The analysis indicated that a) a randomly de termined partial thromboplastin time obtained from the blood-conservin g arterial line would lie between 3.32 and -5.11 of the partial thromb oplastin time taken from the conventional arterial line value with 95% confidence; and b) a randomly determined hematocrit obtained from the blood-conserving arterial line would lie between 1.97 and -1.85 of th e hematocrit taken from the conventional arterial line value with 95% confidence. Conclusions: We conclude that a) blood samples obtained wi th the blood-conserving arterial line demonstrate no evidence of hemod ilution or heparin contamination; b) the blood-conserving arterial lin e provides blood samples without the need for an initial volume of blo od to be discarded; c) the blood-conserving arterial line provides a m eans for blood conservation in the intensive care setting.