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Reference values for arterial blood gases in the elderly
Jon A Hardie1, William M Vollmer, A Sonia Buist
1Institute of Internal Medicine, Deaconess Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. jon.hardie@med.uib.no
Chest
|June 11, 2004
Summary
Reference values for arterial blood gases in older adults are sex-specific but not age-dependent. Previous smokers and those with comorbidities can be included in reference samples if they have no respiratory symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Establishing accurate reference values for arterial blood gases (ABGs) in the elderly population is crucial for clinical diagnosis and management.
- Previous studies have not consistently defined exclusion criteria for factors like smoking history and comorbidities in elderly ABG reference samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine reference values for arterial blood gas measurements in individuals over 70 years old.
- To investigate the impact of smoking history and comorbidities on these reference values.
Main Methods:
- A random sample of 146 elderly individuals (men and women) was selected after initial screening via postal questionnaire.
- Exclusion criteria included respiratory disease, dyspnea, symptomatic heart disease, hypertension, and current smoker status.
- Arterial blood samples were collected from participants in a supine position.
Main Results:
- Mean PaO2 for men was 77.0 mm Hg and for women was 73.5 mm Hg. Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) was 95.3% for men and 94.8% for women.
- Mean PaCO2 was 39.4 mm Hg for both sexes.
- No significant associations were found between blood gas variables and age, smoking history, or comorbidities.
Conclusions:
- Arterial blood gas reference values in the elderly are dependent on sex but independent of age.
- Ex-smokers and individuals with non-pulmonary comorbidities can be included in reference samples for ABGs if they lack significant respiratory symptoms.