Normal base excess (BE) range is:

Normal base excess (BE) range is:

• A. -2 to +2
• B. -5 to +5
• C. -1 to +1
• D. -4 to +4

Answer: (A)

Base excess shows how much strong base would need to be added to blood to return it to a normal pH at 37°C; it isolates the metabolic part of the acid-base status. In a normal, balanced state, base excess is around zero, with a typical reference range of -2 to +2 mEq/L. This makes -2 to +2 the correct range. Values more negative indicate a base deficit from metabolic acidosis, while values more positive indicate a surplus of base from metabolic alkalosis. The other ranges are wider than the usual NBRC reference and don’t reflect the normal metabolic baseline.

Base excess shows how much strong base would need to be added to blood to return it to a normal pH at 37°C; it isolates the metabolic part of the acid-base status. In a normal, balanced state, base excess is around zero, with a typical reference range of -2 to +2 mEq/L. This makes -2 to +2 the correct range. Values more negative indicate a base deficit from metabolic acidosis, while values more positive indicate a surplus of base from metabolic alkalosis. The other ranges are wider than the usual NBRC reference and don’t reflect the normal metabolic baseline.