Inclusion of Educational Messages in Laboratory Reports Aids to Complete the Diagnostic Workup of Hyperglycemia
- José Pérez-Jáuregui, MD1,
- Ana María González-Cardel, BS2,
- Gabriela Olay-Fuentes, BS3,
- Alfredo Reza-Albarrán, MD4,
- Roopa Mehta, MD4 and
- Carlos A. Aguilar-Salinas, MD4
- 1Dirección Corporativa de Medicina de Laboratorio, Laboratorio Médico del Chopo, México City, México
- 2Especialización en Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Química de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México
- 3Departamento de Inmuno-Química, Carpermor, Laboratorio de Referencia Internacional, México City, México
- 4Departamento de Endocrinología y Metabolismo, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México City, México
- Corresponding author: José Pérez-Jáuregui, MD, Dirección Corporativa de Medicina de Laboratorio, Laboratorio Médico del Chopo, Alfonso Herrera 75, Col San Rafael, México City, México. E-mail: jose.perezjauregui{at}proa.com.mx
Abstract
OBJECTIVE—To evaluate whether educational messages regarding oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) indications in laboratory reports increase the number of OGTTs appropriately requested.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The following message was printed on the lab reports of individuals with a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration between 5.5 and 6.9 mmol/l: “A FPG between 5.5 and 6.9 mmol/l is considered abnormal by the American Diabetes Association (impaired fasting glucose). An OGTT is recommended if the patient does not have a diagnosis of diabetes and suffers from conditions associated with an increased risk for having type 2 diabetes (i.e., overweight, high blood pressure, abnormal plasma lipids or family history of diabetes).” The number of educational messages printed was 81,099.
RESULTS—The intervention resulted in a significant increase in the number of OGTTs requested, from 78 ± 19 to 268 ± 48 tests per month. It also resulted in a greater proportion of case subjects that had an abnormal OGTT result.
CONCLUSIONS—Educational messages in laboratory reports aid in the diagnostic workup of hyperglycemia.
Footnotes
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Published ahead of print at http://care.diabetesjournals.org on 11 February 2008. DOI: 10.2337/dc07-1912.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
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- Accepted February 4, 2008.
- Received October 1, 2007.
- DIABETES CARE
