The glucose homeostatic mechanism tightly regulates blood glucose levels within a specific range of 4.4 – 6.1 mmol/L. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is necessary to diagnose impaired glucose tolerance especially if a random blood glucose is elevated.
Individuals with established CVD should be screened using HbA1c and/or fasting glucose; an OGTT can be carried out if fasting and HbA1c are inconclusive.
Both impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Impaired fasting glucose is defined by the WHO 2011 as a fasting plasma glucose of ≥ 6.1mmol/L and the American Diabetes Association (ADA Clinical Practice Recommendations 2016) as a fasting plasma glucose ≥ 5.6mmol/L.
The WHO and ADA guidelines define pre-diabetes as an impaired fasting glucose level between 5.6 – 6.9mmol/L; and impaired glucose tolerance as the 2 hour plasma glucose from an OGTT between 7.8-11 mmol/L, or HBA1C between 39 – 47 mmol/mol.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in adults. Risk factors include age > 40 years; family history of a first degree relative with diabetes; history of gestational diabetes; raised BMI; sedentary lifestyle; have known established hypertension or hyperlipidaemia; have established arterial disease (IHD, CVA, PVD); or have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance (PCOS, long term steroid use, severe obesity).
Type 2 Diabetes can be diagnosed if 2 of the following are present: a random blood glucose level of 11mmol/L; a fasting blood glucose level of > 7mmol/L; HbA1c 48mmol/mol or a glucose reading of >11.1 mmol/L at 2 hours after ingestion of glucose at an OGTT.
Globally, 537 million adults (20-79 years) are living with diabetes. 541 million adults have pre-diabetes, which places them at high risk of type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes worldwide is predicted to rise to 643 million by 2030 and 784 million by 2045.
5mL venous sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate plasma
Enfer Medical offers Hexokinase technology for the quantitative assay for Glucose. This test is CE-IVD certified.
For clients using the Enfer Medical Client Portal, the Enfer Medical Patient Request Form (PRF) will be generated when you have completed your “Test Request” within the portal linked below.
Please note that samples suspected of containing high risk pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis should be clearly identified on the form and packed separately from other samples.
Results are available next working day.
This assay is available seven days a week.
The packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory are required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. HSE guidance can be reviewed HERE.
There are specific packaging instructions and labelling requirements requiring triple packaging including:
Further information on the packaging/preparation of samples for delivery to the laboratory is contained within the Enfer Medical Laboratory User Manual which clients are provided with.
Specimens must be tested within 2 days of collection and stored at 2-8°C.
In addition to the packaging of samples, the transport/delivery of clinical samples to the laboratory is required to be in adherence to all national regulations for the safe transport of biological materials. Enfer Medical provides a fully compliant logistics service, aligned with clients’ testing requirements.
Prompt transport of specimens:
To ensure prompt testing of samples and release of results within the published test turnaround times, samples should arrive to the laboratory by 18:00. Test turnaround time is measured from receipt of the sample at the laboratory until the time the authorised results are reported to users.
In rare cases specimens may not be suitable for testing on arrival to the laboratory. In that case the sample will be rejected at the receipt stage and the service user will be notified immediately and an explanation as to why the sample could not be processed will be provided. Reasons why samples cannot be processed include but are not limited to:
Quantitative results for Glucoseare reported in numeric value in mmol/L. Please contact us for more information on the reference ranges used at Enfer Medical.
Critical results are communicated in accordance with the Communication of critical results for patients in the community- national laboratory handbook CSP041/2019
Following receipt at the Laboratory, results should be available on the next working day and will be reported to the referring clinician via the Enfer Medical Client Portal or in a format agreed with clients.
Established clients can login to the portal using the link above.
