Open AccessCarbon dioxide: Global warning for nephrologists
Author(s) -
Marco Marano,
Anna D’Amato,
Alessandra Cantone
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
world journal of nephrology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2220-6124
DOI - 10.5527/wjn.v5.i5.429
Subject(s) - medicine , extracorporeal , hemodialysis , intensive care medicine , carbon dioxide , metabolic acidosis , respiratory acidosis , population , dialysis , bicarbonate , pco2 , acidosis , ecology , environmental health , biology
The large prevalence of respiratory acid-base disorders overlapping metabolic acidosis in hemodialysis population should prompt nephrologists to deal with the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) complying with the reduced bicarbonate concentration. What the most suitable formula to compute pCO2 is reviewed. Then, the neglected issue of CO2 content in the dialysis fluid is under the spotlight. In fact, a considerable amount of CO2 comes to patients' bloodstream every hemodialysis treatment and "acidosis by dialysate" may occur if lungs do not properly clear away this burden of CO2. Moreover, vascular access recirculation may be easy diagnosed by detecting CO2 in the arterial line of extracorporeal circuit if CO2-enriched blood from the filter reenters arterial needle.