Hypoxaemia in patients with hyperleukocytosis: true or spurious, and clinical implications.

摘要: It has been suggested that in asymptomatic patients with leukaemias and very high white blood cell counts, the apparent hypoxaemia found using routine gas analysis is spurious, result of excessive O2 metabolism by leukocytes. Pulse oximetry as a means overcoming shortcomings assessment these patients. We present findings two extremely which show fact true hypoxaemia, even patients, met-haemoglobinaemia may be at least part responsible for low PaO2. also showed pulse was completely unreliable our due to elevated met-haemoglobin levels. recommend all markedly counts should undergo no delay between sampling processing PaO2 urgent cytoreduction.