anion gap low

The value for the anion gap tells your healthcare provider something about which other charged particles must be in your blood to make it neutral. High or low levels may require additional testing to determine the cause and repeat.

Metabolic Acidosis Metabolic Acidosis Acidosis Anion Gap

Low Anion Gap Causes Test results should always be interpreted by a doctor who can take into account your medical history and other test results.

. A low anion gap does not cause physical symptoms but it is associated with conditions such as hypoalbuminemia liver cirrhosis intestinal obstruction and multiple myeloma. When it is reported the most common cause is a laboratory error. If your blood results reveal a low anion gap it may mean you have a lower-than-normal level of albumin hypoalbuminemia. Heidi Fowler and another doctor agree.

The normal physiologic range of the anion gap was defined as 6-14 mEqL and an anion gap 141 mEqL was considered high. However the symptoms can be difficult to pin to electrolyte imbalances because they are so common and can have a wide range of other causes. Lab Testing Errors In general low anion gap levels are rare. Albumin is both a protein and an anion.

A low anion gap is a useful diagnostic tool but its clinical significance is often unrecognized. High anion gap metabolic acidosis HAGMA is a subcategory of acidosis of metabolic ie non-respiratory etiology. The occurrence of a low anion gap value is very rare. It also tells your provider about alkalosis when your blood is not acidic enough.

A low anion gap stems from an imbalance in the bodys pH levels. Albumin is a negatively charged protein and its loss from the serum results in the retention of other negatively charged ions such as chloride and bicarbonate. Dehydration Reactions to toxic substances Edema Cardiac arrhythmias Nausea and vomiting Confusion. Healthcare professionals identify this gap by looking at the results of a blood.

519 views Reviewed 2 years ago Thank Dr. Normal is 8 to 16 mEqL There is more importance to an elevated anion gap which can be associated with extra acids in your body like alcohol aspirin or diabetic ketoacidosis. Although much less common a low anion gap can also be a useful sign and there are a variety of causes. Hypoalbuminemia Hypoalbuminemia is a condition in which the blood contains low amounts of a protein called albumin.

The most common cause of a low anion gap level is a lack of albumin protein in the blood or hypoalbuminemia when immunoglobulin levels are increased. A published review found that out of 67000 calculations of anion gap a low anion gap was calculated less than 1 percent of the time. That can be a sign of conditions like. As previously discussed high serum lipids or high serum proteins can lead to spuriously low serum sodium measurements thus altering the AG.

What is a dangerously low albumin level. The baseline low anion gap may mask the identification of a high gap metabolic acidosis in certain patients. A low anion gap is a useful diagnostic tool but its clinical significance is often unrecognized. A low anion gap test result may mean you have alkalosis blood that is less acidic than normal.

The low anion gap is a rare condition but can be caused due to hypoalbuminemia monoclonal and polyclonal gammopathy bromide intoxication and an increase in the positively charged ions. Differentiation of acidosis into a particular subtype whether high anion gap metabolic acidosis or non-anion gap metabolic acidosis NAGMA aids in the determination of the etiology and hence appropriate treatment1234. LOW ANION GAP Causes Non random analytical errors increased Na increased viscosity iodide ingestion increased lipids Decrease in unmeasured anions albumin dilution Increase in unmeasured cations multimyeloma cationic IgG paraprotein hypercalcaemia hypermagnesaemia lithium OD polymixin B. These conditions cause a low anion gap because they lower the levels of albumin a negatively charged protein in the blood.

Repeatedly low anion gaps were found in only 19 patients. Certain types of cancer. The commonest cause is lab error particularly in the measurement of the serum sodium. What is considered a low anion gap.

Eight patients were hypoalbuminemic and eight were hyponatremic. Albumin levels below 34 grams per deciliter gdL are considered low. This test gives clues about different types of acidosis when your blood is too acidic. Which disorder would be a common cause of a decreased anion gap.

A low anion gap less than 8 mEqL was found in 304 patients 08. As bicarbonate and chloride anions are used to calculate the anion gap there is a subsequent decrease in the gap. Low anion gap A low anion gap is frequently caused by hypoalbuminemia. For the entire population there was a positive correlation between sodium concentration and anion gap.

Instead it is a mathematical calculation based on electrolyte measurements. Low albumin may indicate the following conditions. Based on current clinical data an anion gap value of 3 mEqL should be considered low. The most common cause of a low anion gap is a low level of albumin a protein in the blood.

Within this small percentage over 90 percent of. Albumin is an essential protein in your blood. If you really do have a low anion gap it could mean your blood doesnt have enough of a protein called albumin. Typically a low anion gap indicates a pH imbalance in the body linked to numerous different problems.

The average anion gap was 1625 mEqL. Other times it can be due to an error during the testing process. But this result is so rare that your provider will usually have you tested again to make sure the results are accurate. It compares the levels of positively and negatively charged electrolytes which can provide information about the bodys acid-base balance.

A range of health issues can cause hypoalbuminemia. Also it may be a handy clinical clue for the diagnosis of life-threatening intoxications or occult neoplasms such as multiple myeloma. Again low anion gap results are uncommon. The anion gap is not a test itself.