Aim: As optimizing glucose control in critically ill patients remains a challenge for intensive-care physicians, this study aimed to determine the accuracy of glucose measurements.
Methods: The accuracy of capillary and arterial blood glucose meter measurements was compared with central laboratory arterial glucose measurements; the factors associated with inaccurate measures were also determined.
Results: Altogether, 302 samples from 75 patients were assessed. Mean glucose levels were 126±52 mg/dL for capillary measurements, 133±50 mg/dL for arterial measurements and 143±54 mg/dL for serum glucose laboratory measurements. Compliance with the ISO 15197 guidelines was observed in 74.8% of the capillary samples and 88.7% of the arterial samples. However, all measurements by glucose meter (with either capillary or arterial samples) led to underestimations of serum glucose.
Conclusion: In critically ill patients, glucose measurements from capillary and arterial blood by glucose meter are inaccurate, and can potentially lead to inappropriate use of insulin-infusion protocols and failure to achieve glycaemic targets.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.