Comparison of Capillary and Venous Glucose in Diabetic Patient in a Peripheral Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: This study was done to determine the mean difference and correlation between fasting capillary and venous glucose estimation.

Methods: This was cross-sectional analytic study done in United Mission Hospital, Palpa, Tansen. Calculated sample size was 92, convenience sampling technique was used. During 5 month of duration in 92 diabetic patients, where fasting capillary and venous glucose were performed consecutively. Confounding was ruled out with matching approach, adjustment tests were also used like X2 Mantel -Haenszel and logistic regression. Reporting guideline of this observational study was done with the help of SROBE guidelines.

Results: The mean venous blood glucose was 9.52% higher than the Mean capillary glucose. A strong correlation was observed between venous and capillary blood glucose, with Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.94.

Conclusions: There is a significant difference in the blood glucose results analyzed on a bedside glucometer when the samples are taken from capillary or venous sources. Although good correlation is between venous and capillary derived samples, caution must be exercised in accepting the results as equivalent or using either as substitutes for a laboratory blood glucose result.