Analytical performance of a portable critical care blood gas analyzer

The portable blood gas analyzer OPTI Critical Care Analyzer was evaluated i n comparison to routine laboratory assays using heparinized blood samples o f adults and newborns. Within-run imprecision studies were performed with n ative blood using tonometry to adjust blood gas concentrations. The results obtained show a very close agreement between the OPTI system and the compa rison methods for all parameters tested: hemoglobin (y = 1.00x - 0.2 g/l, r = 0.997, n = 81), sodium (y = 1.13 x - 18.7 mmol/l, r = 0.951, n = 79). po tassium (y = 1.03x - 0.04 mmol/l, = 0.972. n = 79), pH (y = 1.03x - 0.29, r = 0.958, n = 57), pCO(2) (y = 1.03x - 1.14 mm Hg, r = 0.988, n = 57) and p O(2) (y = 1.07x - 0.85 mm Hg, r = 0.995, n = 57). The coefficients of varia tion for the within-run imprecision were below 1.1% for sodium and hemoglob in, and below 2.6% for all other parameters, except for pCO(2) with coeffic ients of variation up to 3.6% at low calibration gas concentrations. Due to this analytical performance and its portability, the OPTI system is well s uited for low to medium test frequencies and immediate use in emergency roo ms, intensive care or surgery units. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.