A review of capillary β‐hydroxybutyrate cut‐off levels for the exclusion and identification of diabetic ketoacidosis

Key Points

• To evaluate capillary β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB) levels in diagnosing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
• Reviewed existing literature on β-OHB levels relevant to DKA diagnosis.
• Assessed cut-off levels for excluding and identifying DKA.
• Capillary β-OHB threshold of <1.5 mmol/L may exclude DKA.
• A level >3.0 mmol/L showed high sensitivity and specificity for DKA detection.