Which of the following factors will cause analysis of blood gas samples to be erroneous?
1. Warming the sample
2. Low leukocyte counts
3. The presence of air bubbles in the sample
4. Icing the sample between obtaining and analyzing
5. Prolonged time delay between obtaining and analyzing a sample
a. 2 and 3 c. 1, 3, and 5
b. 2 and 4 d. 1, 2, 4, and 5
ANS: C
A prolonged delay between obtaining and analyzing a specimen (i.e., longer than 5 minutes) can lead to erroneous results. This problem is particularly evident in patients with high leukocyte counts. Chilling the specimen to below 5° C by placing the syringe in ice water can reduce the metabolic rate of the white blood cells, minimizing this problematic effect.
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