The diabetes test is only as good as the pathway around it; with improved sample handling resulting in a significant rise in positive results. James Jackson asked what this can teach laboratory professionals about the future of diagnostics.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is now the most common medical complication of pregnancy in the UK, yet recent research suggests that the way blood samples are handled may materially influence who receives a diagnosis.
For laboratory professionals, the underlying issue will be familiar. Glycolysis begins as soon as whole blood is collected, and delays between venepuncture and sample processing can result in measurable glucose consumption before analysis. What is particularly significant about the latest evidence is the extent to which this familiar pre-analytical issue can translate directly into differences in clinical diagnosis.
The NIHR-funded OPHELIA study, conducted across nine UK centres and involving 1,308 pregnant women undergoing a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), provides compelling evidence. Researchers compared ‘standard’ sample processing procedures with ‘enhanced’ sample processing involving storage on ice, rapid centrifugation, aliquoting and freezing within two and a half hours.
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