A portable blood gas analyzer for equine venous blood

Evaluation of a portable blood gas analyzer, (StatPal II, Unifet, Inc, La Jolla, CA) was performed using tonometered solutions and equine blood. Samples were analyzed by the StatPal II and either an Instrument Laboratory IL1306 (Lexington, MA) or a Radiometer ABL50 blood gas analyzer (Radiometer America Inc., Westlake, OH). Comparison of the StatPal II and the IL1306 was done by analysis of 3 tonometered solutions (acidic, normal, and alkalotic) and 27 equine venous blood samples. Blood pH, PCO2, PO2, and [HCO3] values were altered by IV infusion of 5% sodium bicarbonate or exercising the horses on a treadmill. Comparison of the StatPal II and the Radiometer was performed by analysis of 78 blood samples collected from Standardbred horses before a race. Data were analyzed for the venous blood samples using a paired two-tailed Student's t test and Bland-Altman plots, with significance set at P < .05. The coefficients of variation for pH, Pco2, Po2, and [HCO3-] values of the tonometered solutions analyzed by the StatPal II ranged from 0.067% to 0.087%, 2% to 3.21%, 1.21% to 2.67%, and 0.267% to 0.828%, respectively. Comparison of the equine blood samples analyzed by the StatPal II and the IL1306 demonstrated statistically significant, but clinically irrelevant differences in pH, Pco2, and Po2, but not [HCO3-]. There were statistically significant, but clinically irrelevant differences between the StatPal II and the Radiometer for pH, Pco2, and [HCO3-], but not for Po2. It is concluded that the StatPal II provides reproducible and acceptable analysis of equine venous blood gas samples.