A 52-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of diffuse abdominal pain, polyuria, and severe, intractable vomiting. She has a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus and states she ran out of her insulin three days ago. Her temperature is 37.2°C (99.0°F), blood pressure is 95/60 mmHg, pulse is 118/min, and respirations are 24/min. Physical examination reveals dry mucous membranes and diffuse, mild abdominal tenderness without rebound or guarding. Laboratory studies show:
| Test | Value |
|---|---|
| Sodium | |
| Potassium | |
| Chloride | |
| Bicarbonate | |
| Blood urea nitrogen | |
| Creatinine | |
| Glucose |
Arterial blood gas on room air reveals:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | |
| pCO | |
| pO |
Which of the following best describes this patient's acid-base status?
- High anion gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosisCevap
- BHigh anion gap metabolic acidosis with appropriate respiratory compensation
- CHigh anion gap metabolic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis
- DHigh anion gap metabolic acidosis and respiratory acidosis
- ENon-anion gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis
Cevap
High anion gap metabolic acidosis and metabolic alkalosis
The correct answer identifies a mixed metabolic disorder. The patient has acidemia (pH 7.32) and a low bicarbonate (16 mEq/L), indicating metabolic acidosis. The anion gap is 140 - (90 + 16) = 34 mEq/L, confirming a High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis (HAGMA) due to DKA. Winter's formula (1.5 × 16 + 8 = 32) perfectly matches the measured pCO2, ruling out a primary respiratory disorder. However, a delta ratio must be performed for any HAGMA. The change in anion gap (34 - 12 = 22) compared to the change in bicarbonate (24 - 16 = 8) gives a delta ratio of 2.75. A ratio >2.0 means the bicarbonate has not fallen as much as expected given the accumulation of acids, which reveals a concurrent primary metabolic alkalosis caused by the patient's severe vomiting.
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Anahtar Kavram
In patients with a high anion gap metabolic acidosis, the delta ratio (ΔAG / ΔHCO3) must be calculated to identify hidden, concurrent metabolic disorders; a ratio >2.0 indicates a superimposed metabolic alkalosis.
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