Application: Detection of hyper- or hypoglycemia. It is also used as a screening test for diabetes mellitus, except in pregnancy where glucose must be measured following a glucose load. Monitoring glycemic control.
Explanation: In general, increased glucose levels indicate diabetes mellitus, but be aware of other possible causes. The most common cause of low serum glucose is inadvertent insulin overdose in insulin-dependent diabetes (e.g.-pt. took his/her insulin but didn’t eat).
Specimen: 7 ml blood in red- or gray-top tube.
Reference Interval:
70-105 mg/dL (Adult/child)
60-100 mg/dL (Child <2 yrs.)
40-90 mg/dL (Infant)
30-60 mg/dL (Neonate)
Serum glucose concentration is approximately 15% higher than whole blood glucose concentration.
