Abstract
The correct volume of sample and time of storing prior to the analysis are important considerations in the estimation of plasma glucose concentration of patients. The present study was to determine the effect of sample volume variation and time delay in the analysis of plasma glucose results in healthy adults. A total of 30 individuals aged between 20 and 30 years were selected for the study. Blood samples were collected into three fluoride-oxalate collection tubes separately. The results revealed that the sample volume variation from 2.0 mL fluoride-oxalate tube to 1.0 mL and 3.0 mL did not significantly affect the plasma glucose concentration (p > 0.05). However, the plasma glucose concentration in the sample significantly decreased upon delaying the analysis. The mean fasting plasma glucose concentration of analysis after one hour of collection and analysis after three hours of collection was not significantly different (p > 0.05). The mean fasting plasma glucose concentrations between one hour and five hours timepoints after collection (p < 0.001) and between three hours and five hours after collection (p = 0.014) were significantly different. In conclusion, overfilling and underfilling (2.0 ± 1.0 mL) of fluoride-oxalate tubes did not affect the plasma glucose results significantly. If the samples are analyzed within three hours of collection, the time dependent change too is not statistically significant.
Highlights
Diabetes mellitus is a noncommunicable metabolic disease characterized mainly by hyperglycemia
According to recent reports published by the World Health Organization, the number of diabetes-related deaths in Sri Lanka in 2016 was 10130 (7% of total deaths) [2]. erefore, early diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is important to manage its severity and prevent the occurrence of its associated complications
Out of the total workload in Chemical Pathology Laboratories, 30%–40% are related to the estimation of glucose concentration [4]. ough glycated hemoglobin and plasma glucose testing are both advocated for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, the most frequently used primary laboratory test is still the fasting plasma glucose in Sri Lankan setting
Summary
Diabetes mellitus is a noncommunicable metabolic disease characterized mainly by hyperglycemia. Blood is collected to an anticoagulated tube with an antiglycolytic agent for plasma glucose estimation. To obtain an accurate value in the estimation of plasma glucose result, it is better to use powder form anticoagulant containing tubes to prevent the dilutional effect of blood by a liquid anticoagulant. In Sri Lankan clinical practice, sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate tubes are used as collection tubes for the estimation of glucose concentration. Erefore, it is important to keep the correct volume ratio of blood to anticoagulant for the accurate plasma glucose estimation. According to the standard operating procedures adopted locally, plasma glucose estimation should be performed within two hours after the collection of sample, and sample preparation (separation of plasma from cells) for the analysis should be performed within one hour of collection [13]. We determine the effect of sample volume variation and time delay in the analysis of plasma glucose results in healthy adults
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