These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Clinical utility of pericardial fluid pH determination.
    Author: Kindig JR, Goodman MR.
    Journal: Am J Med; 1983 Dec; 75(6):1077-9. PubMed ID: 6650541.
    Abstract:
    The pH of pericardial fluid has not been well characterized. Therefore, it was analyzed in 13 consecutive patients who had pericardial disease of varying causes and were undergoing pericardiocentesis. Values ranged from 6.82 to 7.59. In seven patients with bloody pericardial effusions, the pH was significantly lower than the simultaneously determined arterial pH (7.31 +/- 0.07 versus 7.45 +/- 0.04, p less than 0.01). Pericardial fluid pH discriminated between inflammatory (pH 7.06 +/- 0.07) and noninflammatory (pH 7.42 +/- 0.06) causes (p less than 0.001). Thus, pericardial fluid pH determination is a quick and accurate method to exclude inadvertent ventricular punctures in bloody pericardiocentesis and to distinguish between inflammatory and noninflammatory causes of pericardial fluid accumulation.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]