Point of Care tests (POCT) Versus Pathology Laboratories in Follow-up of Diabetic Patients

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder marked by irregular glucose processing. It represents a continuously growing worldwide threat with a major financial burden on healthcare systems. Inappropriate management of DM is a risk of many related complications, ranging from acute diabetic ketoacidosis and nonketotic hyperosmolar coma to long-term complications like nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and foot ulcer. Appropriate glycemic control is the main target of an adequate management approach. Regular checking of blood glucose levels and HbA1c concentrations is important in controlling diabetes. This study reviewed the POCT in comparison to pathology laboratories in the follow-up of diabetic patients for appropriate glycemic control. The POCT has a shorter turnaround time with easy, low-cost, and bedside accessibility as compared to pathology laboratories. However, disadvantages like lower accuracy, error resulting from interference, and problems related to standardization issues need to be considered. The study concluded that while POCT is ideal for rapid monitoring of diabetic patients, especially at bedside settings, the pathology laboratories remain the gold standard for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes control.