anion gap

Anion gap can be classified as either high, normal or, in rare cases, low.

The tests results indicate anion gap acidosis, a new symptom.

Corrections can be made for hypoalbuminemia to give an accurate anion gap.

Large anion gap acidosis is usually present during the initial stage of poisoning.

In addition to arterial blood gas, an anion gap can also differentiate between possible causes.

The anion gap is affected by changes in unmeasured ions.

A low anion gap is frequently caused by hypoalbuminemia.

In contrast to the serum anion gap equation, the bicarbonate is excluded.

These anions are not part of the anion-gap calculation and therefore a high anion gap results.

Laboratory errors need to be ruled out whenever anion gap calculations lead to results that do not fit the clinical picture.

Effects include alcoholic intoxication and high anion gap metabolic acidosis.

Thus, the presence of a high anion gap should result in a search for conditions that lead to an excess of these anions.

Uric acid, ketoacids, and free fatty acids further increase the anion gap.

The urine anion gap is calculated using measured ions found in the urine.

Base deficit with elevated anion gap indicates addition of acid (e.g., ketoacidosis).

The anion gap is maintained because bicarbonate is exchanged for chloride during excretion.

Calculating the anion gap is clinically useful, as it helps in the differential diagnosis of a number of disease states.

A high anion gap indicates acidosis.

Ketoacids are unmeasured anions,, so there is a resulting increase in the anion gap.

If the gap is greater than normal, then high anion gap metabolic acidosis is diagnosed.

Other laboratory abnormalities may suggest poisoning, especially the presence of a metabolic acidosis, particularly if it is characterized by a large anion gap.

Hypokalemic acidosis is a high anion gap metabolic acidosis that has various direct and associated symptoms.

Alcohol (such as ethanol) can affect anion gap by inducing alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme.

The anion gap can be increased due to relatively low levels of cations other than sodium and potassium (e.g. calcium or magnesium).

A reference range provided by the particular lab that performs the testing should be used to determine if the anion gap is outside of the normal range.