Clinical chemistry
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To test the relationship pK' = 6.103 + log[HCO3calc] - log[HCO3meas], we used a Corning 168 blood-gas analyzer to analyze 500 blood samples for pH and PCO2, from which we calculated a value for bicarbonate. We also analyzed 500 venous blood samples, collected simultaneously, for potentiometric total carbon dioxide with the Ektachem 700 analyzer. ⋯ The results also confirmed the positive bias caused by organic acids in the Ektachem method for total carbon dioxide. Analysis of the SMA 6/60 results indicated a significant decrease of the pK' in patients classified as having a metabolic acidosis.