Alveolar-arterial gradient
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Overview
The Alveolar-arterial gradient (A-a gradient), is a measure of the difference between the alveolar concentration of oxygen and the arterial concentration of oxygen. It is used in diagnosing the source of hypoxemia.[1]
Equation
A-a gradient = PAO2 - PaO2[2]
Where:
- PAO2 = alveolar PO2 (calculated from the alveolar gas equation)
- PaO2 = arterial PO2 (measured in arterial blood A-a gradient)
Values and meaning
The A-a gradient is useful in determining the source of hypoxemia. The measurement helps isolate the location of the problem as either intrapulmonary (within the lungs) or extrapulmonary (somewhere else in the body).
A normal A-a gradient is less than 10 mmHg, but can range from 5-20 mmHg. Normally, the A-a gradient increases with age. For every decade a person has lived, their A-a gradient is expected to increase by 1 mmHg. An abnormally increased A-a gradient suggests a defect in diffusion, V/Q (ventilation/perfusion ratio) defect, or right-to-left shunt.[3]
References
- ↑ iROCKET Learning Module: Intro to Arterial Blood Gases, Pt. 1. Retrieved on 2008-11-14.
- ↑ Alveolar-arterial Gradient. Retrieved on 2008-11-14.
- ↑ Costanzo, Linda (2006). BRS Physiology. Hagerstown: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN 0781773113.
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Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
