β Scribed by Shotliff, K. ;Blight, A. ;Patel, S.
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Random blood glucose (RBG) assays are commonly used to screen for diabetes mellitus. Guidelines for investigation of patients with a RBG < 7.8mmol/l are included in a handbook given to all junior doctors in our hospital. We assessed how well this recommendation was known amongst junior doctors requesting and interpreting these tests, and also their knowledge of the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes.
Of the 58 doctors asked, 55% did not know the correct cutβoff for investigation of a RBG (19% used 10.0mmol/l and 12% used 11.1mmol/l). Knowledge of the WHO criteria for diagnosing diabetes was also poor, with only 72% (42/58) knowing the fasting venous plasma level and 52% (30/58) the twoβhour postβprandial level.
Many people have a RBG performed but these results suggest a significant proportion will not be adequately investigated. Junior doctors' knowledge of this important information should therefore be reβassessed and improved when necessary.
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