OBJECTIVE: To identify the relevant differences between portable blood glucose meter readings in different sampling accesses blood and laboratory analysis. METHODS: Quantitative validity study. Daily samples were collected from capillary blood, central venous access catheter and arterial catheter and the blood glucose values checked using portable blood glucose meter and laboratory analysis. The findings were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences - SPSS software. RESULTS: Central venous catheter samples blood glucose meter readings were found to have the best correlation with the laboratory analysis results, considered as the gold-standard. CONCLUSION: Hemodynamically unstable patients' capillary blood samples may provide false blood glucose results, and lead to inappropriate insulin solution management. Therefore, ideal blood glucose sampling is relevant to prevent insulin solution management errors.
Blood specimen collection; Critical care; Blood glucose; Intensive care units
