Home
HelpTest ID GLURA Glucose, Random, Serum
Specimen Required
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 0.5 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Serum gel tubes should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection.
2. Red-top tubes should be centrifuged, and the serum aliquoted into a plastic vial within 2 hours of collection.
Useful For
Diagnosing and managing diabetes mellitus and other carbohydrate metabolism disorders including gestational diabetes, neonatal hypoglycemia, idiopathic hypoglycemia, and pancreatic islet cell carcinoma
Method Name
Enzymatic Photometric Assay
Reporting Name
Glucose, Random, SSpecimen Type
SerumSpecimen Minimum Volume
0.25 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 7 days | |
| Frozen | 30 days |
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | Reject |
Clinical Information
The most common disease related to carbohydrate metabolism is diabetes mellitus, which is characterized by insufficient blood levels of active insulin. Symptoms include polyuria, abnormally elevated blood and urine glucose values, excessive thirst, constant hunger, sudden weight loss, and possibly elevated blood and urine ketones. Complications from diabetes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. There are approximately 16 million diabetics in the United States, and that number is growing. It is estimated that at least 5 million of these people have not been diagnosed. The prevalence in the population age 65 and older is 18.4%, representing 6.3 million cases. The cost of diabetes to the US economy exceeds $92 billion annually.
Overproduction or excess administration of insulin causes a decrease in blood glucose to levels below normal. In severe cases, the resulting extreme hypoglycemia is followed by muscular spasm and loss of consciousness, known as insulin shock.
Reference Values
0-11 months: not established
≥1 year: 70-140 mg/dL
Interpretation
Any of the following results, confirmed on a subsequent day, can be considered diagnostic for diabetes:
-Fasting plasma or serum glucose ≥126 mg/dL after an 8-hour fast
-2-Hour plasma or serum glucose ≥200 mg/ dL during a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
-Random glucose >200 mg/dL, plus typical symptoms
Patients with "impaired" glucose regulation are those whose fasting serum or plasma glucose fall between 101 and 126 mg/dL, or whose 2-hour value on oral glucose tolerance test fall between 140 and 199 mg/dL. These patients have a markedly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and should be counseled for lifestyle changes and followed up with more testing. Indications for screening and testing include strong family history, marked obesity, history of babies over 9 pounds, and recurrent skin and genitourinary infections.
Glucose levels of 25 mg/dL or lower in infants younger than 1 week are considered to be potentially life threatening, as are glucose levels of 40 mg/dL or lower in infants older than 1 week.
Glucose levels of 400 mg/dL and higher are considered a critical value.
Cautions
Once the blood is drawn, the cells in the blood begin to metabolize the glucose that is present in the specimen. At ambient temperature, the glucose concentration in the blood will decrease by 10% per hour. Therefore, in a nongel separator tube, the specimen should be centrifuged as soon as possible and the plasma or serum removed from the cells. If the blood is drawn in a serum separator tube (SST) or plasma separator tube (PST), the glucose is stable once the specimen has been spun and the gel is in place.
Inhibitors of glucose metabolism such as fluoride also can be used. In these tubes, glycolysis will take place, but at a much reduced rate (approximately 10% over 3 hours).
Clinical Reference
Chapter 25: In Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Fourth edition. Edited by CA Burtis, ER Ashwood, DE Bruns. WB Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2006, pp 837-907
Method Description
Glucose in the serum, in the presence of hexokinase, is converted to glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P). Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), in the presence of NADP, oxides G-6-P to gluconate-6-phosphate and NADPH. The rate of NADPH formation is directly proportional to glucose concentration in the serum and is measured photometrically.(Package insert: Roche Glucose Reagent. Indianapolis, IN, January 2000)
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Sunday
Report Available
Same day/1 to 2 daysTest Classification
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.CPT Code Information
82947