[Metabolic alkalosis. III. Spontaneous and experimental compensation mechanisms in plasma and erythrocytes]

Plasma and red cell acid-base balance were studied in 13 patients with metabolic alkalosis and 14 healthy subjects following the infusion of bicarbonate. Differences between the plasma and red cell patterns suggested that application of the results of plasma determinations to the body as a whole could be the cause of serious inaccuracies. Since the changes noted occurred in different combinations according to whether alkalinisation was acute or not, it is felt that cell response to a fall in (H+) varies in relation to the time available for compensation.