pH Measurement in Pleural Fluid Helps Detect Pleural Effusions

Blood gas analyzers measure pH in pleural fluid to assist in the diagnosis of pleural effusions.

Pleural effusions are often present in patients suffering from infections such as pneumonia, cancers, and also in patients suffering from heart failure. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) consensus panel on the medical and surgical management of parapneumonic effusions recommends pleural fluid chemistry to be measured by blood gas analyzers.

Radiometer’s ABL800 FLEX analyzer now offers a dedicated mode for measuring pH in pleural fluid.

Testing is done through a separate pH-pleura mode, reducing the risk of mistaking a pleura value for a blood value.

Measurement of pH in pleural fluid on Radiometer's (Westlake, OH, USA) new series of ABL800 FLEX gas analyzers has been validated according to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA; Silver Spring, MD, USA) guidelines and is CE-marked. This means that, unlike an off-label application (as performed on many blood gas analyzers), labs with ABL800 FLEX will require only limited validation, saving them valuable resources. Also, because pleural fluid responds differently than whole blood, the ABL800 FLEX has a unique pH-pleura mode to ensure accuracy.

The ABL800 FLEX also measures blood gas, electrolytes, metabolites, and CO-oximetry. Many of the analyzer’s key functions, including quality control and sample analysis, mixing, and identification, are automated, reducing the risk of manual errors and increasing patient safety.

The use of pH meters or test strips can overestimate pleural fluid pH. This may lead to a diagnostic misclassification of the effusion, a potential underestimation of the problem and under-treatment of the condition.

Related Links:
The American College of Chest Physicians
Radiometer