Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Few have examined the accuracy of mechanical calibrators used to calibrate metabolic monitors.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the Vacu-Med 17053 motorized syringe calibrator for accuracy against the accepted standard method: the Douglas bag.
METHODS:
We tested oxygen consumption (V̇O2 ) values of 522–3,210 mL/min. We mixed room air and calibration gases in the pumping syringes of the Vacu-Med 17053 and evacuated those gases into a Douglas bag, measured the Douglas bag volumes and concentrations, and converted to pulmonary ventilation, V̇O2 , and carbon dioxide production (V̇CO2 ).
RESULTS:
The Vacu-Med 17053 calibrator overestimated V̇O2 by a mean 28.6 mL/min (1.3% error), underestimated V̇CO2 by 6.9 mL/min (−1.7% error), and underestimated pulmonary ventilation by 0.98 L/min (−1.4% error). The V̇O2 and V̇CO2 differences between the calibrator and the Douglas bag were larger at higher V̇O2 levels.
CONCLUSIONS:
The V̇O2 and V̇CO2 differences might be attributable to fluctuations of the calibrator settings. The Vacu-Med 17053 calibrator was accurate with the application of a mathematical correction.
Keywords
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