RESUMO
AIM: To obtain a greater understanding of the diagnosis and evaluation of success in diabetic ketoacidosis management. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed on patients with diabetic ketoacidosis at the Emergency Unit of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital. All patients that were admitted were had their blood glucose, beta-hydroxybutirate, acetoacetate, pH, pCO2, HCO3, anion gap and consciousness levels serially monitored on upon admittance (0 hour) and the 2nd, 6th, 12th, 18th and 24(th) hours. The correlation coefficient of each examination was also calculated. The benefit of serial examination of each variable was also determined for each ketoacidosis undergoing the study. RESULTS: Out of the 19 available samples, a strong negative correlation was found between beta-hydroxybutirate and pH with a value of r>0.5 (from -0.524 to -0.833 with p<0.05) for 24 hours, compared to acetoacetate with the lowest r of -0.515 to -0.731 lasting up to 12 hours. Blood glucose and pH is correlated only at 0 hour, the same with the correlation between beta-hydroxybutirate and HCO(3). pCO2 and anion gap is better compared to that of blood glucose and acetoacetate. There is no correlation between the three and the level of consciousness. Significant serial examinations to perform are blood glucose, beta-hydroxybutirate, and HCO(3). CONCLUSION: beta-Hydroxybutirate has a stronger correlation compared to blood glucose and or acetoacetate towards pH, pCO2, HCO(3), and anion gap. Patients with ketoacidosis are recommended to undergo blood beta-hydroxybutirate examination. Serial examination should be performed for blood glucose, beta-hydroxybutirate, and bicarbonate.