Abstract
Blood glucose testing is influenced by the type of specimen used. Serum is generally used in clinical chemistry testing, whilst EDTA plasma is used less frequently and is generally restricted to specific conditions. Previous studies have predominantly compared random blood glucose levels; therefore, a specific study on fasting blood glucose is required. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in fasting blood glucose levels between serum and EDTA plasma. This quantitative study, employing an analytical observational design and a cross-sectional approach, was conducted at the Prameka Clinical Laboratory between November 2025 and March 2026, with samples collected in February–March 2026. The sample comprised 30 adult patients aged 18–59 years, selected using purposive sampling. Serum and EDTA plasma samples were obtained from each respondent. Glucose testing was carried out using the GOD-PAP method with a Dirui CS-T180 analyser. Analysis was performed using SPSS via the Shapiro–Wilk test and the Paired Sample t-test. The mean fasting blood glucose level in serum was 105.120 mg/dL, whilst in EDTA plasma it was 110.993 mg/dL. The Paired Sample t-test yielded a t-value of −13.839 and p = 0.000, indicating a significant difference between the two specimen types. The conclusion of this study is that fasting blood glucose levels in EDTA plasma tend to be higher than those in serum. Consistency in the use of specimen types is required to avoid discrepancies in the interpretation of laboratory results and to support the accuracy of clinical monitoring.
