The potential use of gingival crevicular blood for measuring glucose to screen for diabetes: an examination based on characteristics of the blood collection site.
BACKGROUND
This study examined conditions under which gingival crevicular blood (GCB) could be used to obtain a useful glucose reading to screen for undiagnosed diabetes during routine dental visits.


METHODS
GCB and capillary finger-stick blood (CFB) glucose readings obtained with a glucometer were compared for 46 patients recruited from an urban university dental clinic. Study participants were divided into two groups based on probing depth or bleeding on probing (BOP) at the site of collection of the GCB sample. Group 1 participants had blood collected from sites with adequate BOP to obtain a sample without touching the tooth or gingival margin, whereas group 2 participants had blood collected from sites with little or no bleeding. For each group, Pearson correlations were calculated for glucose readings obtained using GCB and CFB samples, and the limits of agreement between the two samples were examined.


RESULTS
For group 1 participants, correlations between CFB and GCB glucose readings were high (0.89), and the limits of agreement were acceptable (-27.1 to 29.7). By contrast, for participants in group 2, correlations between the glucose readings were lower (0.78), and limits of agreement were much broader (-25.1 to 80.5).


CONCLUSIONS
GCB samples were suitable to screen for diabetes in persons with sufficient BOP to obtain a sample without touching the tooth or gingival margin (i.e., in patients having the basic clinical signs of gingivitis or periodontal disease).
Strauss
Shiela M
SM
College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA. ss4313@nyu.edu
Wheeler
Alla J
AJ
Russell
Stefanie L
SL
Brodsky
Anya
A
Davidson
Robert M
RM
Gluzman
Rima
R
Li
Lin
L
Malo
Roberto Galao
RG
Salis
Bram
B
Schoor
Robert
R
Tzvetkova
Krassimira
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D005881:Gingiva / Q000098:blood supply; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000097:blood; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose