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Oh: The Authors Reply: Alkali Therapy in Patients with Metabolic Acidosis
The Authors Reply: Severe metabolic acidosis can generate detremental clinical effect such as cardiovascular depression and central nervous system dysfunction1). It also disturbe important key enzymes' activity2). The effect of bocarbonate therapy aimed at correcting the pH, however, is controversial. Bicarbonate therapy produced CO2 and paradoxically lower the intracellular pH and cerebrospinal fluid pH3, 4). Bicarbonate infusion is associated with an increased blood lactate levels4). It might be also produce the volume expansion, hypernatremia and renbound alkalemia. The other buffer agents such as Carbicarb (Na2CO3 + NaHCO3) and THAM (Tris-hydroxymethyl aminomethane) are available, but these agents dose not imporving outcomes of metabolic acidosis4).
Therefore, recent articles and text books suggest that therapy is aimed at correction of the underlying disorder, volume depletion, and electrolyte imbalance4-6). On condition that severe acidosis (pH < 7.1) and the patient is deteriorating rapidly, bicarbonate therapy can be considered.

References

1. Sonett J, Pafani FD, Baker LS, et al. Correction of intrmyocardial hypercarbic acidosis with sodium bicarbonate. Circ Shock. 1994; 42:163–173. PMID: 8055662.
2. Edge JA, Roy Y, Bergomi A, et al. Conscious level in children with diabetic ketoacidosis is related to severity of acidosis and not to blood glucose concentration. Pediatr Diabetes. 2006; 7:11–15. PMID: 16489969.
3. Rhee KH, Toro LO, McDonald GG, Nunnally RL, Levin DL. Carbicarb, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium chloride in hypoxic lactic acidosis. Effect on arterial blood gases, lactate concentrations, hemodynamic variables, and myocardial intracellular pH. Chest. 1993; 104:913–918. PMID: 8396003.
4. Rose BD, Post TW. Metabolic acidosis. Clinical physiology of acid-base and electrolyte disorders. 2001. 5th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders;p. 578–646.
5. Charfen MA, Fernandez-Frackelton M. Diabetic ketoacidosis. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2005; 23:609–628. PMID: 15982537.
6. Palmer BF, Alpern RJ. Metabolic acidosis. Comprehensive clinical nephrology. 2010. 4th ed. St. Louis: Elsever Saunders;p. 155–175.
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