Glucose (T501) [Back]
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| RISK ASSESSMENT VALUE: |
Serum glucose is regulated by insulin which causes glucose to move into cells, the liver which can quickly produce glucose from stored glycogen, digestion, and other factors such as exercise. When insulin production is inadequate to control the glucose being produced and absorbed minus that otherwise used, the serum glucose level rises. Fasting values should be < 100 mg/dL in healthy individuals. Glucose intolerance or impaired glucose tolerance or pre-diabetes "begins" at 111 and diabetes mellitus "begins" at 125 mg/dL. In reality it is a continuous spectrum of risk.
Determining that an applicant's sample is truly fasting can be difficult so action based on blood glucose alone (which should be repeated even in clinical practice) is usually not feasible. However it serves as a valuable screening test to move on to more definitive evidence of glucose intolerance or diabetes via the HgA1c.
True hypoglycemia is rare in the general population and insurance applicants. However, with delay in separating the serum from the red blood cells, glucose is metabolized lowering the serum glucose sometimes to near zero. This is a common problem with insurance bloods and is of no concern. It may, however, mask a real elevation.
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| NORMAL RESULTS: |
70-110 mg/dL after a true 12 hour fast
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| ABNORMAL RESULTS: |
Values much less than 70 are almost always a result of poor specimen handling.
Values (if true fasting) between 100 and 110 mg/dL are elevated but very common
Values (if true fasting and repeatable) between 111 and 125 are labeled pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
Values of 126 (if true fasting and repeatable) are labeled as diabetes mellitus.
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| ADDITIONAL TESTS: |
HgA1c
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| SAMPLE NEEDED: |
Separated serum from a red-stopper tube, plasma from grey top tube or DBS.
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| SAMPLE STABILITY: |
10 days at room temperature if serum separated from the red cells, 2 weeks when refrigerated, indefinitely when frozen.
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| METHOD & INSTRUMENT: |
Hexokinase coupled enzyme measured spectrophotometrically, Hitachi Modular.
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| INTERFERING FACTORS: |
May be low or an elevation missed if serum not promptly separated from the red cells
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| PURPOSE: |
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| PROFILE INCLUDES: |
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| RISK RANGE & UNITS: |
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