Drawing blood

New York, July 5, 2000 (Praxis Press) Blood glucose testing, one of the most commonly performed procedures in clinical practice, traditionally uses lancet sampling drawn from a finger, a procedure experienced as painful by patients. Previous studies suggest the side of the thumb as a less painful site. In an open, prospective randomized trial published by the British Journal of Medicine (see paper), sampling from the earlobe, an equally accessible and vascular site, resulted in a less painful procedure. The study suggests that patients may prefer lancet puncture of the earlobe for random blood glucose tests. Consider offering this option to your patients.