The recent advance in amperometric electrode technology makes it possible to measure the concentration of many blood contents in whole blood sample. But there is still doubt the measured value in this method might be affected by hematocrit of whole blood. Therefore we examined the effect of hematocrit of whole blood on measurement of lactate level in two amperometric electrodes, ABL SYSTEM 625(Radiometer, Copenhagen Denmark), 2300 STAT PLUS(Yellow Springs Instrument Co., Ohio USA). Both analyzers demonstrated similar reproducibility and dispersion of measured values in plasma and whole blood samples [Standard deviation(SD); ABL SYSTEM 625 whole-blood=0〜0.052, plasma=0〜0.053, 2300 STAT PLUS whole blood=0.012〜0.080, plasma=0.007〜0.060]. Lactate values in plasma and in whole blood samples were significantly correlated each other in both analyzers(r>0.98, P<10^<-4>). 2300 STAT PLUS demonstrated significant lower lactate value in whole blood than in plasma where ABL SYSTEM 625 demonstrated no difference in lactate value in plasma and whole blood. When whole blood was diluted by the same patient's plasma, ABL SYSTEM 625 exhibited no difference in lactate values but 2300 STAT PLUS exhibited higher lactate values as whole blood was further diluted by the plasma.
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