Correlation of the capillary and venous blood glucose levels using glucometer with fully automated chemistry analyzer for Stress Hyperglycemia among Critically Ill Patients

Objective: To correlate venous and capillary blood glucose measurements using glucometer with fully automated chemistry analyser in stress hyperglycemia among critically ill patients. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from August 2018 to January 2019 and blood specimens were analysed in Department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi. Blood samples were collected from thirty-five non-diabetic patients of both genders admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU) of CMH, Rawalpindi. Venous and capillary blood glucose were measured using glucometer. Venous plasma glucose was analysed on fully automated chemistry analyser ADVIA 1800 by spectrophotometric kinetic method using Hexokinase. Results: Mean (± Standard deviation) of Capillary Blood Glucose (CBG) was 160 (± 34.1) mg/dl, of Venous Blood Glucose (VBG) was 145.4 (± 33.9) mg/dl, and of fully automated chemistry analyser was 121 (± 35.4) mg/dl. Mean values of blood glucose showed significant difference (p<0.001) by three methods mentioned above. The CBG and VBG were found significantly correlated (r=0.91; p<0.001), similarly CBG and blood glucose levels (BGL) measured on automated chemistry analyser were also significantly correlated (r=0.79; p<0.001) as well as VBG and BGL measured on automated chemistry analyser (r=0.87; p<0.001) Conclusion: A significant positive correlation was found between capillary and venous blood glucose measured by glucometers as well as between these two parameters and blood glucose measures on automated chemistry analyser but the means of these three values differ significantly. This warrants cautious use of glucometers for the detection of stress hyperglycaemia.