Effect of Temperature on Pco2 and Po2 of Blood in Vitro

Calculations based on the known temperature factors for blood gases suggest that a 1°C fall in the temperature of blood sealed in an anaerobic environment will lower the CO2 tension 4.4% and the O2 tension 6%. This tension change is approximately exponential, and is computed from the formula Pb/Pm = 10f(b-m) to correct values from temperature of measurement (m) to that of the body (b). In the normal range, 'f' is 0.0247 for oxygen and 0.0185 for carbon dioxide. Line charts give P(cool)/P(warm) for temperature differences up to 12°C. Experimental determinations by the Riley direct tension method gave 'f' values of 0.013 ± .007 for CO2 and 0.024 ± .006 for O2. Submitted on February 8, 1956