J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol.  2009 Oct;13(2):235-241.

Clinical Significance of Bicarbonate Gap in Pediatric Patients with Acute Gastroenteritis

• Park KH
• Jung SK
• Yim HE
• Yoo KH
• Hong YS
• Lee JW

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical value of bicarbonate gap (BG) in acute gastroenteritis by comparison of clinical manifestations and laboratory findings.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed 135 patients who had acute gastroenteritis. We classified them into two groups: BG< or =-5 (group A), BG>-5 (group B). We made a comparative study for clinical manifestations, serum electrolyte, albumin, protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, anion gap (AG), delta anion gap (deltaAG) and delta bicarbonate (deltaHCO3-) between the two groups.
RESULTS
The duration of hospitalization and diarrhea was significantly longer in group A than group B. In laboratory findings, serum sodium, serum total CO2, total protein, AGcorrected and deltaAG were lower in group A than group B. deltaHCO3- and chloride were higher in group A than group B.
CONCLUSION
BG may be a sensitive predictor enough to access the severity of acute gastroenteritis.

Keyword

Acute gastroenteritis; Metabolic acidosis; Delta anion gap; Delta bicarbonate

MeSH Terms

Acid-Base Equilibrium
Acidosis
Blood Urea Nitrogen
Creatinine
Diarrhea
Gastroenteritis
Hospitalization
Humans
Retrospective Studies
Sodium
Creatinine
Sodium