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Articles and journal scans about Glucose
Article
October 2003
Useful tips to avoid preanalytical errors in blood gas testing: electrolytes
Preanalytical errors are said to be the reason for up to 75 % [1] of all errors in laboratory medicine. The diagnostic consequences depend on the magnitude of the preanalytical error.
In worst case, these errors may lead to mistreatment of patients; in all cases, these errors are an extra workload for the hospital...
Preanalytical phase
Electrolytes
Quality assurance
Glucose
Hemoglobins
Blood gases/acid-base
Article
October 2003
Benchmarking as part of competency testing
Like many hospitals throughout the world, the Princess Royal Hospital in Sussex, England has set up a quality assurance (QA) scheme to verify the competency of glucose-meter operators. Their scoring system, however is anything but typical.
Instead of relying solely on individual results, the system also uses...
Quality assurance
Point-of-care testing
Glucose
Article
September 2003
Principles and problems of blood glucose measurement
Although blood glucose measurement is commonly performed, the use of a whole-blood sample introduces complications and compromise in terms of the assay principle, the method of calibration and the expression of results.
Most point-of-care systems are calibrated against a method chosen by the manufacturer for...
Glucose
Preanalytical phase
Article
July 2003
The EU IVD Directive (98/79 EC) - a user’s point of view
The Directive is a complex and detailed document and in the following the author focuses on some of the items that are particularly important for the user to be aware of.
Most of the rules will apply to the manufacturers and the public and the users will take advantage of the rulings if they become aware of their...
Quality assurance
Glucose
Article
Article
June 2003
Increased blood lactate levels: a marker of...?
Since Meakins in 1927 described the relationship between increased blood lactate levels and the presence of oxygen debt (tissue hypoxia) in patients with circulatory shock [1], lactate levels have been used to diagnose and monitor the treatment of these patients.
However, as lactate is a normal (end) product of...
Glucose
Lactate
Hemoglobins
Kidneys/fluids
Article
May 2003
STAT testing in the future
Since the mid 1990's Point of Care Testing (POCT) has been viewed as a solution to a declared need for Short Turn Around Testing (STAT).
However, is it being utilized in a way that meets the needs of improving patient care and hospital quality assurance? What is STAT testing, why and how did it become POCT? How is...
Process optimization
Point-of-care testing
Information management
Glucose
Creatinine/urea
Article
April 2003
Method comparison or procedure comparison?
With the increasing number of blood tests performed at the point of care (POC), it has become more and more important to perform method comparison studies, comparing new methods to the existing methods used in the laboratory (LAB). This is done primarily to ensure that uniform results are reported throughout the...
Quality assurance
Point-of-care testing
Preanalytical phase
Glucose
Lactate
Article
April 2003
Standardizing is the key to effective POCT
According to the Hvidovre Hospital, standardizing is a must
if POCT is to run optimally. In the first article of the series
"POCT setups for blood gas", acutecaretesting.org interviews
the Danish hospital on how they have successfully implemented
POCT.
Point-of-care testing
Information management
Process optimization
Glucose
Hemoglobins
Troponins
Article
January 2003
Practical planning considerations when interfacing
Attention to how data are handled by different groups in a hospital is important when interfacing a point-of-care testing system.
Consideration of existing data handling practices and future data evaluation needs - before, during, and after installation - and careful planning in cooperation with each hospital...
Information management
Point-of-care testing
Glucose