A clinical evaluation of routine blood sampling practices in patients with diabetes: impact on fingerstick blood volume and pain.

Background: There is a perception that patients with diabetes struggle to produce sufficient blood to fill glucose test strips, including strips with 1-µL fill requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine the volume of blood expressed when these patients perform routine fingersticks using their own lancing device and sampling technique and to evaluate the relationship between blood volume and pain.

Methods: Sixty-four patients (type 1 or type 2 diabetes) performed 8 fingersticks using their own lancing device and preferred depth setting and lancing technique.