Comparison of glucose levels in capillary blood samples obtained from a variety of body sites.

The AtLast Blood Glucose System was developed to eliminate painful finger punctures by testing samples from less sensitive body sites. Studies were designed to evaluate subjects under various glycemic states and to compare glucose concentrations in samples obtained from the forearm and palm to those found in the finger. The palm is more similar to the finger in blood flow rates, while the forearm is less perfused. AtLast measurements of forearm samples from subjects at a minimum of 2 h postprandial produced good regression statistics when compared to reference finger results with a correlation coefficient of 0.978. Agreement was quite weakened in subjects undergoing extreme glucose loads, resulting in a slope of 0.85, an intercept of 30.82, and a correlation coefficient of 0.938. Time course data indicate that forearm glucose levels often appear lower than finger concentrations when glucose is rapidly rising and somewhat higher when glucose is quickly falling. On the other hand, glucose levels of palm samples produced a close correlation to finger concentrations under all glycemic states. In participants undergoing rapid glucose change, the linear correlation resulted in a slope of 1.01, an intercept of 2.46, and a high correlation coefficient of 0.983, with steady tracking of palm and finger concentrations throughout the study. The palm of the hand was also identified as a comfortable testing site that equals the forearm in affording painless testing. Glucose monitoring of blood samples from the forearm is suitable when expecting steady state glycemic conditions. At times of rapid glucose change, the palm of the hand offers a painless sampling site that compares well with the finger.