A study on acid-base disturbance in patients with post-traumatic multiple organ failure

In order to diagnose accurately the type of acid-base disturbance (ABD) in patients with post-traumatic multiple organ failure (PMOF), arterial blood gases and electrolytes were determined 645 times on 112 patients with PMOF and the data were analyzed with the pre-estimated compensatory formula of ABD and the calculations of anion gap, potential bicarbonate, and blood chlorides. Simple ABD was found in 381 times of determinations and double ABD in 239 when only the formula was used in the analysis, while 264 times of simple ABD, 260 times of double ABD and 96 times of triple ABD were found when the formula was employed in combination with the calculations of anion gap, potential bicarbonate and blood chloride. The mixed types of ABD were increased by 49% (117 times) from 239 to 356 times and triple ABD was increased from 0 to 96 times. The findings indicate that the employment of the combined formula and the calculations of anion gap, potential bicarbonate and blood chloride is of great significance to assess ABD especially its mixed and complicate types in patients with PMOF. It is emphasized that along with the monitoring of blood gases, the determination of blood electrolytes and the calculation of anion gap and potential bicarbonate should be performed to determine the correct type of ABD.