IFCC recommendation on reporting results for blood glucose

In human beings, glucose is distributed like water between erythrocytes and plasma. The molality of glucose (amount of glucose per unit water mass) is the same throughout the sample. Different water concentrations in calibrat or, plasma, and erythrocyte fluid can explain some differences that are dep endent on sample type, methods requiring sample dilution, and direct readin g biosensors detecting molality. Different devices for the measurement of g lucose detect and report fundamentally different analytical quantities. The differences exceed the maximum allowable error of glucose determinations f or diagnosing and monitoring diabetes mellitus, and they complicate the tre atment. The goal of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry, Sci entific Division, Working Group on Selective Electrodes (IFCC-SD WGSE) is t o reach a global consensus on reporting results. The document recommends ha rmonizing to the concentration of glucose in plasma (with the unit mmol/l), irrespective of sample type or technology. A constant factor of 1.11 will convert measured concentration in whole blood to the equivalent concentrati on in plasma. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.