title: Accuracy in estimating fasting blood glucose levels by patients with diabetes.
abstract: This study was designed to assess the accuracy with which diabetic patients can estimate their fasting blood sugars (FBS) and to determine whether experience with self-monitoring of blood glucose improves this ability. Twenty patients with type II diabetes who had no experience with self-monitoring of blood glucose were compared with 17 patients who had been monitoring blood sugar regularly for the previous 8 mo. All patients were asked to estimate FBS immediately before it was measured in the laboratory. Patients were very accurate in estimating their FBS; the average error in estimation was 2 mg/dl, and 65% of patients estimated FBS within 20% of actual FBS. However, there was no evidence that experience in self-monitoring of blood glucose improved the accuracy of estimation. Additional studies are needed to determine the types of cues that patients use in estimating blood sugar.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose