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	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Martin et al¹ retrospectively studied more than 2000 nontrauma-related surgical ICU admissions and reported that serum bicarbonate (HCO₃) might provide information equivalent to the arterial base deficit (BD). This conclusion is a bit surprising, as is their determination that the normal BD of 0 is associated with an HCO₃ level of 22 mEq/L rather than the typical level of 24.

There are many formulae² to calculate the BD, or its negative, the base excess (BE). A positive BE, or a negative BD, is typically associated with an increased serum bicarbonate level, so the authors may have confused these 2 terms. Digital blood gas analyzers today are unlikely to use the standard nomograms, and perhaps the simplest formula for BE is given by the point-of-care blood analyzers (iSTAT Corp, East Windsor, NJ) now used in our hospital: BE = (HCO₃) – 24.8 + 16.2 x (pH – 7.4).

This equation may clearly indicate that there is expected . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Eugenio Lujan, MD; Red Howard, MD, PhD

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