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Anion gap can be classified as either high, normal or, in rare cases, low. Laboratory errors need to be ruled out whenever anion gap calculations lead to results that do not fit the clinical picture. Methods used to determine the concentrations of some of the ions used to calculate the anion gap may be susceptible to very specific errors.
The urine anion gap is an 'artificial' and calculated measure that is representative of the unmeasured ions in urine. Usually the most important unmeasured ion in urine is NH 4 + since it is the most important form of acid excretion by the kidney. [ 5 ]
The anion gap (AG) without potassium is calculated first and if a metabolic acidosis is present, results in either a high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA) or a normal anion gap acidosis (NAGMA). A low anion gap is usually an oddity of measurement, rather than a clinical concern.
The serum anion gap is useful for determining whether a base deficit is caused by addition of acid or loss of bicarbonate. Base deficit with elevated anion gap indicates addition of acid (e.g., ketoacidosis). Base deficit with normal anion gap indicates loss of bicarbonate (e.g., diarrhea).
Stool osmotic gap is a measurement of the difference in solute types between serum and feces, used to distinguish among different causes of diarrhea. Feces is normally in osmotic equilibrium with blood serum, which the human body maintains between 290–300 mOsm/kg. [ 1 ]
High anion gap metabolic acidosis is typically caused by acid produced by the body. More rarely, it may be caused by ingesting methanol or overdosing on aspirin . [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The delta ratio is a formula that can be used to assess elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis and to evaluate whether mixed acid base disorder (metabolic acidosis) is present.
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If this gap falls within an acceptable range,(<10) then it is assumed that sodium, glucose, BUN are indeed the major dissolved ions and molecules in the serum. If, however, the calculated gap is above an acceptable range, then it is an indication that there is something else dissolved in the serum that is producing an osmol gap, which can be a ...