Forearm blood glucose testing in diabetes mellitus.

AIMS To compare the accuracy and acceptability of capillary blood glucose testing from the forearm with finger prick testing in diabetic children. METHODS Blood glucose measurements from samples taken from the forearm and the finger were compared in an outpatient setting from 52 children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus aged 6-17 years. Opinions on forearm sampling were collected by questionnaire. RESULTS Blood glucose results obtained from forearm sampling correlated well with results from the finger measured by the Yellow Springs Instrument analyser. Error grid analysis showed that 100% of measurements were clinically acceptable; 61% of children reported that forearm testing was painless and 19% that it was less painful than finger prick testing. CONCLUSION Forearm testing is an acceptable alternative to finger prick testing for blood glucose measurement in children and adolescents.