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The Rapid Prehospital Estimation of Blood Glucose Using Chemstrip bG

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Paul T. Hogya ,
Donald M. Yealy ,
Paul M. Paris  and
Ronald D. Stewart
Paul T. Hogya*
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh Affiliated Residency in Emergency Medicine
Donald M. Yealy
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh Affiliated Residency in Emergency Medicine
Paul M. Paris
Affiliation:
Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania
Ronald D. Stewart
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery and Anesthesia, University of Toronto
*
Presented at the Scientific Assembly of the National Association of EMS Physicians, San Francisco, CA, June 1989.
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Abstract

The accuracy of the glucose reagent strip, Chemstrip bG, for the determination of the presence of hypoglycemia, euglycemia, or hyperglycemia was assessed in the prehospital setting when used by paramedics treating patients with an altered level of consciousness. Venous blood specimens were obtained from each of sixty-two patients. Serum glucose levels of the sample were determined by paramedics in the field using the Chemstrip bG and within three hours after sample acquisition by standard laboratory techniques. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting true hypoglycemia (serum glucose<61 mg/dl) using the field reagent strips were 100% and 83.3% respectively. The corresponding 95% lower limits of confidence (LLC) were 81.3% and 83 .3%. The sensitivity and specificity of field detection of the absence of hypoglycemia (serum glucose ≥ 61 mg/dl) were 86.6 % (LLC=80.9%) and 100% (LLC=81.3%) respectively. The accuracy of the reagent strips is specific but not sensitive for the determination of the presence of hyperglycemia (serum glucose > 179 mg/dl). Thus, the Chemstrip bG is an accurate means for the rapid identification of the presence or absence of hypoglycemia in the field setting by paramedics.

Keywords

hypoglycemiaprehospital glucose estimationhyperglycemiaChemstrip bGglucose reagent strips
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , December 1989 , pp. 109 - 113
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 1989

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