The use of the iSTAT portable analyzer in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass

To evaluate the utility of the iSTAT blood analyzer, a bedside device for hematocrit, sodium, potassium, and glucose measurement during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Forty patients scheduled for elective CPB were evaluated prospectively. In addition to using the iSTAT analyzer, blood samples were analyzed at four time points: following induction of anesthetic, 10 min. after initiation of CPB, 60 min. after initiation of CPB, and following heparin neutralization by protamine. Blood glucose concentration was measured by the hospital laboratory using a Kodak Analyzer and by a glucose meter, electrolytes were evaluated by the Kodak Analyzer and BGE (a device which is commonly used for "satellite laboratory" determinations of electrolyte and blood gas results), and hematocrit samples were measured by the hospital laboratory using an NE 8,000 and a centrifuge. The means and standard deviations of the differences between the methods were calculated.

The hematocrit values determined by the iSTAT machine, when adjusted for the level of total protein (according to manufacturer's directions), differed from the laboratory values by 0.53 +/- 1.46 percentage points. An alternative to measuring total protein and making the adjustment is simply adding 1% to the hematocrit in the pre-CPB period and 3% on-CPB or post-CPB, which we found to yield values that differed from the laboratory by 0.52 +/- 1.42 percentage points. For all four tests (hematocrit, sodium, potassium, and glucose) the iSTAT had a similar relationship to the laboratory values as did the other commonly used means (centrifuge, BGE, and glucose meter) of clinical evaluation.

In summary, we found that in patients undergoing CPB, the iSTAT values agreed sufficiently well with standard laboratory values and that the iSTAT instrument can be relied upon for bedside measurements.