title: What is the lower limit for postprandial venous plasma glucose in healthy young adults?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is general agreement that the lower limit for postprandial venous plasma glucose is the same or higher than for a fasted sample. The finding of a postprandial fall in glucose would therefore have implications for assignment of the lower limit of the normal glucose range.
  
  
  METHODS
  An antecubital venous sample was collected before and one hour after breakfast. Plasma was separated immediately after collection and glucose measured using the hexokinase method. Participants with dysglycaemia were excluded from subsequent analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glucose range (mmol/L) for the 96 participants was 4.4-6.0 fasting and 2.7-7.2 postprandially. There was no relationship between postprandial glucose and either gender or carbohydrate intake. About 24% of postprandial concentrations were <3.9  mmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If laboratories choose to define a random venous plasma glucose reference range, the lower limit should be below 3.9  mmol/L.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Akhilesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lunt
authors.forename: Christopher M A
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Frampton
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Florkowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019518:Postprandial Period; D012016:Reference Values; D014680:Veins
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Glucose; hypoglycaemia; reference range