@article {Knowles732, author = {Thomas P Knowles and Rory A Mullin and Jefferson A Hunter and Herbert F Douce}, title = {Effects of Syringe Material, Sample Storage Time, and Temperature on Blood Gases and Oxygen Saturation in Arterialized Human Blood Samples}, volume = {51}, number = {7}, pages = {732--736}, year = {2006}, publisher = {Respiratory Care}, abstract = {BACKGROUND: The practice of on-ice storage of arterial-blood samples in plastic syringes for delayed analysis continues, and the effects of storage time and temperature on the measurement of blood-oxygen-saturation values (SaO2) have not been adequately described. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of syringe material, storage time, and storage temperature on normal arterialized blood gas and SaO2 values. METHODS: We used a temperature-controlled extracorporeal circuit to {\textquotedblleft}arterialize{\textquotedblright} 500 mL of fresh, whole human blood at 37{\textdegree}C, and we used certified calibration gases of 12\% O2 and 5\% CO2 to produce normal blood-gas values. From that arterialized blood we took 90 samples and randomly assigned them to 6 groups, until there were 15 samples in each group. The groups were (1) plastic syringe, analyzed immediately, (2) plastic syringe, stored 30 min at 0-4{\textdegree}C, (3) plastic syringe, stored 30 min at 22{\textdegree}C, (4) glass syringe, analyzed immediately, (5) glass syringe, stored 30 min at 0-4{\textdegree}C, and (6) glass syringe, stored 30 min at 22{\textdegree}C. RESULTS: Compared to the samples that were analyzed immediately, the PO2 of the samples stored in plastic syringes for 30 min at 22{\textdegree}C and at 0{\textendash}4{\textdegree}C was significantly higher, with a clinically important magnitude of 11.9-13.7 mm Hg. The PCO2 of blood stored in glass for 30 min at 0-4{\textdegree}C was significantly lower, although the magnitude of the difference (1.5 mm Hg) was not clinically important. There were no statistically significant differences in pH or oxygen saturation among the 6 groups. CONCLUSION: For accurate arterial-blood-gas results, samples drawn in plastic syringes should be analyzed immediately. If the analysis is going to be delayed, the samples should be drawn and stored in glass.}, issn = {0020-1324}, URL = {https://rc.rcjournal.com/content/51/7/732}, eprint = {https://rc.rcjournal.com/content/51/7/732.full.pdf}, journal = {Respiratory Care} }