A comparison of two ECBG sampling techniques to ABG sampling
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparison of two capillary earlobe blood sampling techniques in relation to arterial blood gas sampling in patients at risk of chronic hypoxaemia.
IRAS ID
200000
Contact name
Amber Lane
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St. George's University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 28 days
Research summary
Chronic hypoxaemia is defined as a persistently low blood oxygen level at rest. It is often present in patients with severe chronic lung disease, reducing quality of life and increasing mortality. Treatment with long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is known to improve survival. In 2011, 85,000 patients in England received LTOT; the number of patients assessed for LTOT is significantly more. Arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling from an artery in the wrist is the gold standard to assess blood oxygen level (PaO2). ABG sampling can be painful and can only be taken in an acute hospital by a specialist healthcare professional. Earlobe capillary blood gas (ECBG) sampling from a warmed earlobe has been suggested as a less painful alternative and can be taken in any setting by any trained healthcare professional. However, there are concerns over the accuracy of PaO2 analysed from ECBG samples, with one study demonstrating inappropriate LTOT prescription in 16% of patients when compared to ABG values. Meta-analyses highlight substantial variations in the design of previous studies and lack of ECBG protocol standardisation makes it difficult to draw any reliable conclusions.
This study will compare the practicality and accuracy of two protocols of earlobe capillary blood gas (ECBG) sampling in relation to ABG sampling in patients at risk of chronic hypoxaemia.
Participants aged 18 or over will be eligible if they have a chronic lung disease (clinically stable for a minimum of six weeks prior to the assessment), and require LTOT assessment or review by an oxygen assessment service. Participants will attend one appointment at a district general hospital and undergo two ABG tests and four ECBG tests. Participants will be asked to complete a pain score after each procedure. At this point, participation in the study would end and usual standard care would continue.REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0239
Date of REC Opinion
16 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion