A 31-Year-Old Client with a Diagnosis of End-Stage Liver Failure

A 31-year-old client with a diagnosis of end-stage liver failure has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital. Arterial blood sampling indicates that the man has an acid-base imbalance. Which of the following situations is most likely to result in an inappropriate pH?

A) Conservation or formation of new HCO ^- by the kidneys
B) Low albumin and plasma globulin levels
C) Transcompartmental exchange of H⁺ and potassium ions
D) Renal excretion of HCO ^- in the presence of excess base