Star Team

Hey guys today im going to discuss with you people about glucose and how we detect it in our body.

Glucose is the major energy source for the human body. When the total daily energy intake exceeds daily expenditure, the excess is converted to fat and stored in adipose tissue. When daily energy needs are not met by sufficient calorie intake, glucose is produced from the berakdown of carbohydate stores and from non-carbohydrate sources (eg. gluconeogenic amino acids, lactate and glycerol) the glucose level in blood is kept within a fairly narrow range through a variety of influences. Feeding and fasting cause variation in the blood glucose levels..

Glucose measurement is performed for the diagnosis and follow-up of carbohydate metabolism abnormalities (eg. diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia) and other conditions (such as cerebrospinal fluid glucose in suspected meningitis).

Glucose levels in the body increase due to:

• Diabetes Mellitus including: Hemochromatosis, Cushing's syndrome, Acromegaly and gigantism
• Increased circulating epinephrine: Adrenal injection, pheochromocytoma, stress (emotions, burns, shock)
• Acute pancreatitis
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Wernicke's encephalopathy
• CNS lesions
• Effects of drugs

Glucose levels in the body decrease due to:

• Pancreatic disorders: islet cell tumors
• glucagon deficiency
• carcinoma of adrenal gland
• carcinomaof stomach
• fibrosarcoma
• Hepatic Disease: Poisoning, hepatitis, cirrhosis, primary/ metastatic
• Endocrine Disorder: Hypopituitarism and Addison's disease, hypothyroidism
• functional disturbances: post gastrectomy. gastroenterostomy, antonomic nervous system disorder
• Pediatric Anomalies:

-prematurity,infant of diabetic mother, ketotic hypoglycemia, Zetterstrom's syndrome, idiopathic leucine sensitivity, spontaneous hypoglycaemia in infants

• Enzyme diseases:

-Von Gerke's disease, galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, fructose intolerance

The Analyser used for the glucose measurement is the Beckman Coulter LX20 PRO analyser, besides this test, the analyser can also be used to measure various electrolytes (eg. sodium, potassium) and some liver enzymes (GGT, ALT,AST etc)

The samples usually collected for the glucose test are serum, plasma, urine or cerebrospinal fluid.

Principle of Analysis

The analyser determines the glucose concentration by using a glucose reagent in conjunction with calibration standards done by the med tech. when the reagent is input into the machine.

The Analyser measures the oxygen consumption rate of the sample.

10 microlitre of sample is injected into the reaction cup containing the glucose oxidase solution. The ratio used is one part sample to 76 part reagent. The peak of the oxygen consumption is directly proportional to the concentration of glucose in the sample.

The machine then prints out the readout when the test has finished.

Thanks,

Randall

TG02