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Recommending Alternative Site Testing to Patients
Decisions about whether to recommend Alternative Site Testing (AST) should take into account the motivation
and knowledge level of the patient and his or her ability to understand the considerations relative to diabetes
and AST. If you are considering recommending AST for your patients, you need to understand that there is a
potential for a significant difference between fingertip or palm test results and test results obtained from the
forearm, upper arm, thigh, or calf. The difference in capillary bed concentration and blood perfusion
throughout the body can lead to sample site-to-site differences in blood glucose results. These physiological
effects vary between individuals and can vary within a single individual based upon his or her behavior and
relative physical condition.
Our studies involving alternative site testing of adults with diabetes show that most persons will find their
glucose level changes more quickly in blood from the fingertip or palm than in blood from the forearm, upper
arm, thigh, or calf.* This is especially important when blood glucose levels are falling or rising rapidly. If your
patient is used to making therapy decisions based upon fingertip or palm test results, he or she should
consider the delay, or lag time, affecting the test results obtained with blood from the forearm, upper arm,
thigh, or calf.
*Data on file
50705_05853397002_EN.indb 70 4/24/12 8:32 AM
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