Postoperative Compensatory Ammonium Excretion Subsequent to Systemic Acidosis in Cardiac Patients

Figure 2

Mean base excess value of the patients grouped according to their acid-base status in the postoperative phase. Groups were initial postoperative respiratory acidosis and no subsequent BE > +2 mEq/L, initial postoperative respiratory acidosis and subsequent BE > +2 mEq/L, initial postoperative metabolic acidosis and no subsequent BE > +2 mEq/L, and initial postoperative metabolic disorder and subsequent BE > +2 mEq/L. Postoperative BE values were determined as follows: after cessation of the initial individual acid-base disturbance in the postoperative course, all subsequent BE values from all patients within one group (see above) were used in the two-day observation period to calculate the mean value. Values are shown as mean ± standard deviation. .