Abstract:
Analysis of diabetic blood may be delayed for hours post collection owing to several factors. Artifactual changes may occur thereby confounding the results. This study investigated some artifactual changes in glucose levels that may occur in diabetic blood stored at room temperature for 24 h. Ten (10) male Wistar rats were assigned to two (2) groups of five (5) rats per group. Group 1 rats were made diabetic by single intraperitoneal injection of 160 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate while group 2 rats served as normal control. Rats with blood glucose values ≥ 126 mg/dl were considered diabetic. One week (7 days), following establishment of diabetes, blood samples were collected after overnight fasting from both diabetic and non diabetic rats using heparinized capillary tubes into sample bottles. Determination of the blood glucose values were
