Calculation of whole blood CO2 content.

Currently used methods for calculating whole blood CO2 content from calculated plasma content, measured blood pH, hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), and O2 saturation yield materially different results. In this study the constants of the fundamental equations relating blood CO2 content to plasma content have been reevaluated. An iterative computer technique was used to empirically derive appropriate constants from data obtained from nine healthy male subjects at rest and at several exercise work loads. A calculation was derived that fitted the data well [difference 0.02 +/- 1.19 ml/100 (SD) ml, r = 0.98] blood CCO2 = plasma CCO2 (Formula: see text) where plasma CCO2 = 2.226.s.plasma PCO2.(1 + 10pH-pK'), CCO2 is CO2 content, SO2 is O2 saturation, s is the plasma CO2 solubility coefficient, and pK' is the apparent pK [s and pK' are from the equations of Kelman (Respir. Physiol. 3: 111-115, 1967)].