Abstract
Estimation of plasma glucose in home blood samples is needed to improve diabetic control. Sufficiently precise measurements on capillary blood were obtained by (a) storing Reflotest glucose-oxidase strips in a desiccant container before reading and (b) collecting blood samples into a simple vacuum bottle containing potassium fluoride (assay of sodium content indicating volume of plasma collected). The precision of the methods (+/- 1 SD) was +/-0.35 mmol/1 (+/-6.3 mg/100 ml). Clinical reliability was assessed by measuring the basal plasma glucose concentration at home on different mornings in patients with maturity-onset diabetes, the day-to-day variation (+/- 1 SD) being +/-0.73 and +/-0.92 mmol/1 (+/-13.2 and +/-16.6 mg/100 ml) respectively. The mean basal plasma glucose concentration in all 84 patients with maturity-onset diabetes from three general practices was 8 mmol/1 (144 mg/100 ml), 44 of the values exceeding 6 mmol/1 (108 mg/100 ml). Improving control by monitoring the basal plasma glucose concentration in maturity-onset diabetes might help to prevent diabetic complications.
Full text
PDF


Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- DRABKIN D. L. Spectrophotometric studies. XV. Hydration of macro sized crystals of human hemoglobin, and osmotic concentrations in red cells. J Biol Chem. 1950 Jul;185(1):231–245. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Holman R. R., Turner R. C. Basal normoglycemia attained with chlorpropamide in mild diabetes. Metabolism. 1978 May;27(5):539–547. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(78)90020-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Holman R. R., Turner R. C. Diabetes: The quest for basal normoglycaemia. Lancet. 1977 Feb 26;1(8009):469–474. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(77)91954-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sönksen P. H., Judd S. L., Lowy C. Home monitoring of blood-glucose. Method for improving diabetic control. Lancet. 1978 Apr 8;1(8067):729–732. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90854-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WELT L. G., SACHS J. R., MCMANUS T. J. AN ION TRANSPORT DEFECT IN ERYTHROCYTES FROM UREMIC PATIENTS. Trans Assoc Am Physicians. 1964;77:169–181. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Walford S., Gale E. A., Allison S. P., Tattersall R. B. Self-monitoring of blood-glucose. Improvement of diabetic control. Lancet. 1978 Apr 8;1(8067):732–735. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90855-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
