Extracorporeal determination of glucose, lactate and potassium with electrochemical biosensors.

Glucose, lactate and potassium ions have been continuously measured in whole blood by using two extracorporeal electrochemical biosensors and a new flow through potassium electrode. For experiments involving the "glucose clamp", lactate and potassium electrodes have been connected in series to an endocrine artificial pancreas "Betalike" properly modified. The same artificial pancreas has been used in experiments measuring the anaerobic threshold (AT) by continuous monitoring of lactate in athletes. In this case glucose and lactate sensors were connected in series for continuous measurement of both metabolites in blood in real time. The results are in agreement with the biochemical pathways involving such metabolites.