If you get an arterial blood gas and glucose is ordered, how will it differ from serum glucose levels?

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Multiple Choice

If you get an arterial blood gas and glucose is ordered, how will it differ from serum glucose levels?

The difference comes from the type of sample used. An arterial blood gas (ABG) uses whole blood drawn from an artery, whereas serum glucose is measured on serum after the blood has clotted (or plasma glucose on plasma). In whole blood, red blood cells consume glucose, so the glucose concentration in the cellular portion is lower than in the plasma portion. Because serum (or plasma) contains the dissolved glucose, its value tends to be higher than the whole-blood glucose by about 10% in many cases. If the sample sits for a while before analysis, glycolysis can lower the glucose further, increasing the gap. So, arterial glucose from an ABG is typically lower than serum glucose by roughly 10%, not higher.

The difference comes from the type of sample used. An arterial blood gas (ABG) uses whole blood drawn from an artery, whereas serum glucose is measured on serum after the blood has clotted (or plasma glucose on plasma). In whole blood, red blood cells consume glucose, so the glucose concentration in the cellular portion is lower than in the plasma portion. Because serum (or plasma) contains the dissolved glucose, its value tends to be higher than the whole-blood glucose by about 10% in many cases. If the sample sits for a while before analysis, glycolysis can lower the glucose further, increasing the gap. So, arterial glucose from an ABG is typically lower than serum glucose by roughly 10%, not higher.

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