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VBG to Assess Respiratory Function?
- Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis is often used in to evaluate pulmonary function in critically ill ED patients.
- In recent years, venous blood gas (VBG) analysis has replaced ABG analysis for assessing acid-base status (pH, HCO3-) in conditions such as DKA.
- Some key points about the VBG for assessing pulmonary function:
- VBG does not replace an ABG in determining the exact PaO2
- The agreement between the VBG and ABG PCO2 is often poor and unpredictable
- There is emerging literature on the use of VBG PCO2 as a screen for hypercarbia but more data is needed
- Bottom line: With the possible exception of screening for hypercarbia, VBG has limited utility in the assessment of pulmonary function.
References
Kelly AM. Can venous blood gas analysis replace arterial in emergency medical care? Emerg Med Australasia 2010;22:493-498.