Brief Article
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World J Crit Care Med. May 4, 2014; 3(2): 55-60
Published online May 4, 2014. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v3.i2.55
Arterial vs venous blood gas differences during hemorrhagic shock
Kristopher Burton Williams, Ashley Britton Christmas, Brant Todd Heniford, Ronald Fong Sing, Joseph Messick
Kristopher Burton Williams, Ashley Britton Christmas, Brant Todd Heniford, Ronald Fong Sing, Joseph Messick, Department of Surgery, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC 28204, United States
Author contributions: Heniford BT, Sing RF, Messick J designed research; Sing RF, Messick J performed research; Messick J contributed new reagents or analytic tools; Christmas AB, Heniford BT, Sing RF analyzed data; Williams KB, Christmas AB, Heniford BT, Sing RF wrote the paper; Messick J deceased since the completion of this study.
Supported by Carolinas HealthCare System, Department of Surgery, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Correspondence to: Ronald Fong Sing, DO, FACS, FCCM, Department of Surgery, Carolinas HealthCare System, 1000 Blythe Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203, United States. ron.sing@carolinashealthcare.org
Telephone: +1-704-3551311 Fax: +1-704-3555619
Received: March 1, 2013
Revised: October 19, 2013
Accepted: March 3, 2014
Published online: May 4, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Recent studies regarding early goal directed therapy and damage control resuscitation have indicated a potential role for calculated arteriovenous pCO2 differences in monitoring resuscitative efforts. In a rabbit model of hemorrhagic shock, we demonstrate significant derangements between arterial and venous blood and, while not a novel concept, explore the potential of central venous pCO2 as an indicator of hemorrhagic shock. Our results demonstrate a widened arteriovenous pCO2 difference is significantly associated with hemorrhagic shock and may be a more reliable indicator of inadequate tissue perfusion and therefore impending circulatory collapse.