Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association
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To assess the comparability of venous and arterial samples for pH, bicarbonate and potassium measurements in critically ill patients. ⋯ A venous blood sample, analysed on a blood gas machine, is sufficiently reliable to assess pH, bicarbonate and potassium concentrations in critically ill patients, suggesting that venous sampling alone is appropriate in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis.