
September 10, 2004
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections, Hyperglycemia and DKA
Question from Bogota, Colombia, South America:
How do you explain a reading of 15 mg/dl of urine ketones and a urine glucose of 1000 mg/dl [55.5 mmol/L] while a pre-prandial glucose test showed a reading of 40 mg/dl [2.2 mmol/L]? The A1c was 7.0%.
Answer:
I think you are asking why the blood test pre-prandially (pre-meal) is so very different from urine test results. This is because the urine is a reflection of all that has happened since the last time the bladder was emptied, which may be several hours, while the blood test is instantaneous. One way that the reported results may have happened is that insulin may have been given to correct a high reading then brought the blood glucose down rapidly.
KJR