Clinical Chemistry · 2001 · 10 citations · 5 references
MedicineInternal MedicineGood Laboratory PracticePerioperative Quality ImprovementSurgical InstrumentationBioanalytical Method ValidationClinical AnalysisElectrolyte AnalysisBlood Urea Nitrogen MonitoringElectrolyte Analysis In Body FluidsPlasma Electrolyte MeasurementPlasma SamplingQuantification Of AnalytesSerum Electrolyte MeasurementUrea Analysis In Body FluidsUrinary Urea Nitrogen
Decentralized testing is becoming more common as technology lends itself to the development of accurate pointof-care testing devices. The i-STAT System (Abbott) is used at our institution in two same-day outpatient surgery centers to measure electrolytes, urea nitrogen, glucose, and hematocrit in whole blood by use of the "6 cartridge". Our quality assurance program compares results from the i-STAT to those from the central laboratory on a weekly basis. Central laboratory values for sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, and urea are obtained from plasma of the same heparin-anticoagulated patient sample collected before surgery.
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