Alternative-Site Blood Glucose Measurement at the Abdomen

Alternative sites for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) (e.g., forearm, abdomen, calf, or thigh) are currently being introduced in clinical practice (1). However, blood glucose (BG) concentrations by these methods may differ from those by traditional fingertip pricking (2–4). In an elegant study, Jungheim and Koschinski (3) demonstrated that BG measurements, at the forearm by three commercially available devices, showed a less steep increase after an oral glucose load and a delayed decline after insulin administration. In addition, Ellison et al. (4) showed similar findings, which were less adequately followed at the forearm after a standardized meal. Given the patients’ preference for alternative-site SMBG, an appreciation mainly based on the avoidance of painful fingertip pricking (1), clinical application will certainly ensue and, thereby, will introduce a new …