ABSTRACT
Natremia is an important biological parameter providing information on the hydration state of patient's intracellular sector. Its measurement can be carried out either by multiparametric laboratory analyser (indirect potentiometry) or delocalized biology analyser (direct potentiometry). The main problem is that for a same patient, these two analysers can give quite different results, hence inducing interpretation problems for clinician. Two one-week study periods comparing the variations in blood sodium levels produced by these automatic analysers were carried out in two intensive care units of Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital. During the second study period, a protocol for collecting blood samples was applied in order to improve the pre-analytical conditions. Between the two weeks of studies, the median of the differences in natremia was significantly reduced, going from 4 mmol/L to 2 mmol/L (p < 0.001), as was the proportion of patients with large differences in sodium levels (strictly higher than 3 mmol/L) going from 51% to 24.8% (p < 0.001). The patients still presenting large variations in sodium had a median of proteins significantly lower than patients with deviations less than or equal to 3 mmol/L: 58.1 g/L against 62.25 g/L respectively (p < 0.001) leading to pseudo-hypernatremia (indirect potentiometry). Despite a significant reduction in differences linked to the application of good preanalytical practices, some patients nonetheless presented a major difference in natremia due to the difference of technique (variations in the lipidoprotein phase of the plasma of intensive care patients) and to the measurement uncertainties.