Use of bone marrow serum for biochemical analysis in healthy cats.

Bone marrow blood and venous blood were collected from 21 healthy cats for analysis of 13 serum biochemical variables. The relationship between values in venous serum and bone marrow serum for each variable was evaluated, using a linear regression F test. A P value < or = 0.05 was considered significant evidence that measurements in venous and marrow serum were correlated for that biochemical variable. Biochemical variables for which values were significantly correlated included urea nitrogen, creatinine, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, sodium, chloride, and phosphorus concentrations. In all cats, activities for alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in bone marrow serum exceeded the activities in venous serum. Potassium and phosphorus concentrations were greater in bone marrow serum than in venous serum in 20 cats. Glucose concentrations in bone marrow serum from 19 cats were lower than those in venous serum. Correlation between calcium concentrations in venous and bone marrow serum was not found.