Comparison of 2 glucose analytical methodologies in immature Kemp’s ridley
sea turtles: dry chemistry of plasma versus point-of-care glucometer analysis of whole
blood |
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| Authors: | Justin R Perrault Michael D Arendt Jeffrey A Schwenter Julia L Byrd Kathryn A Tuxbury Nicole I Stacy |
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| Institution: | Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Juno Beach, FL;Marine Resources Division, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC;South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, North Charleston, SC;Animal Health Department, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA;Aquatic, Amphibian, and Reptile Pathology Program, Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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| Abstract: | Blood glucose measurements provide important diagnostic information regarding stress, disease, and nutritional status. Glucose analytical methodologies include dry chemistry analysis (DCA) of plasma and point-of-care (POC) glucometer analysis of whole blood; however, these 2 methods differ in cost, required sample volume, and processing time. Because POC glucometers use built-in equations based on features of mammalian blood to convert whole blood measurements to plasma equivalent units, obtained glucose data must be compared and validated using gold-standard chemistry analytical methodology in reptiles. For in-water, trawl-captured, immature Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) from Georgia, USA, we observed significant, positive agreement between the 2 glucose determination methods; however, the glucometer overestimated glucose concentrations by 1.4 mmol/L on average in comparison to DCA and produced a wider range of results. The discordance of these results suggests that POC glucometer glucose data should be interpreted in the context of methodology- and brand-specific reference intervals along with concurrent packed cell volume data. |
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| Keywords: | marine turtle packed cell volume plasma biochemistry point-of-care device |
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