There ain't no substitute for a head space GC, but osmo + anion gap + gases
and an enzymatic alcohol may be useful to the "On Call" biochemist trying to
negotiate with a tox lab at 3am on a Sunday morning for an urgent methanol
or ethylene glycol after NPIS have allegedly told the clinicians that they
"must" get blood levels done.
Whatever happened to the suggestion that a clinical biochemist be co-opted
onto the NPIS steering committee?
Robert Forrest
----- Original Message -----
From: "Trevor Gray" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 10:55 AM
Subject: Re: Use of osmolar gap to "estimate" blood alcohol
> In message <A1581AC3AAEAD311A48900508B6374D20132CEA5@Mars>,
> Mainwaring-Burton Richard (RGZ) <[log in to unmask]>
> writes
> >try doing that at 03:00 am
> >
> Simple - programme it as a set into your computer then it can be
> requested and (on our system) the tests are automatically filled in and
> the gap calculated if it is requested before the sample is analysed.
> Same applies to anion gap. Why do calculations when you are going to use
> a computer to report it anyway. Sorry, I don't know the formula but
> there was an article in I think Clin Chem which compared formulae and
> came up with a best bet.
>
> However, we have an alcohol method on our main analyser, and only use
> the osmolal gap in unexplained acidosis or when eyeballing osmolalities
> and they don't look right. Plenty of methods out there and anyone with
> an A/E unit will get plenty of requests.
> Trevor
> --
> Trevor Gray
> Dept. of Clinical Chemistry,
> Northern General Hospital,
> Sheffield S5 7AU
>
> 0114 271 4309
>
> ------ACB discussion List Information--------
> This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical
> community working in clinical biochemistry.
> Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
> via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and
> they are responsible for all message content.
>
> ACB Web Site
> http://www.acb.org.uk
> List Archives
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
> List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical
community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and
they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
|