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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.
High anion gap metabolic acidosis is a form of metabolic acidosis characterized by a high anion gap (a medical value based on the concentrations of ions in a patient's serum). Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body produces too much acid , or when the kidneys are not removing enough acid from the body.
To distinguish between the main types of metabolic acidosis, a clinical tool called the anion gap is very useful. The anion gap is calculated by subtracting the sum of the serum concentrations of major anions, chloride and bicarbonate, from the serum concentration of the major cation, sodium.
In clinical chemistry, the urine anion gap is calculated using measured ions found in the urine. [1] It is used to aid in the differential diagnosis of metabolic acidosis. [2] The term "anion gap" without qualification usually implies serum anion gap.
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).
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.
Hyperparathyroidism – can cause hyperchloremia and increase renal bicarbonate loss, which may result in a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis. Patients with hyperparathyroidism may have a lower than normal pH, slightly decreased PaCO2 due to respiratory compensation, a decreased bicarbonate level, and a normal anion gap. [3]
Hypoalbuminemia (or hypoalbuminaemia) is a medical sign in which the level of albumin in the blood is low. [1] This can be due to decreased production in the liver, increased loss in the gastrointestinal tract or kidneys, increased use in the body, or abnormal distribution between body compartments.