Monday, March 28, 2016
The rapid breakdown of glucose (glycolysis) in venous blood samples is very significant for the diagnosis of both diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes. Greiner Bio-One now has the optimum solution in the form of the new VACUETTE® FC Mix tube.
Diabetes mellitus is on the increase. It is a group of metabolic disorders, the common feature of which is a chronically elevated blood sugar level1. However it is not only diabetes mellitus but also gestational diabetes (GDM), the most common disease during pregnancy, which is becoming increasingly important. The aim is to detect/rule out gestational diabetes at an early stage. If not identified, GDM can lead to complications such as infections, premature births and long-term effects for the mother and child2.
In order to have a reliable diagnosis, it is necessary to inhibit glucose breakdown immediately after collecting blood. Various institutions such as the DDG*/DGGG** and the ADA*** have drafted guidelines3,4, which recommend the addition of a citrate-fluoride additive to maintain the "in vivo glucose level".
