Relation between blood pH and ionized calcium during acute metabolic alteration of the acid-base balance in vivo

We induced metabolic alkalosis and acidosis in 10 healthy volunteers in order to analyse in vivo relation between pH and ionized calcium (cCa2+). In the alkalinization test, 2.7 mol/kg NaHCO3 was injected. In the acidification test, volunteers took 4 mmol/kg NH4 Cl. Blood pH and cCa2+ (mmol/l) mean values (SD) baseline, after alkalinization and acidification tests, were: 7.363 (0.018), 7.456 (0.031), 7.244 (0.031), 1.27 (0.03), 1.14 (0.03) and 1.38 (0.04). Mean slope of regression log cCa2+/pH was -0.39 (SD 0.11). Such a slope differs after in vivo or in vitro changes, due to the in vivo rapid restoration of equilibrium between the plasmatic and interstitial compartments following changes in water and electrolyte concentrations. The type of acid-base alteration—respiratory or metabolic—influences pH changes, and consequently the regression slope. The in vivo slope for log cCa2+/pH in normal subjects (-0.21) is much the same as in acute respiratory alterations (-0.17), whereas it differs in acute metabolic...