The utility of finger-prick point-of-care testing (POCT) of blood glucose was investigated for the detection of dysglycaemia in data from a fasting POCT and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with laboratory assays conducted with 3225 participants enrolled in the Te Wai o Rona Diabetes Prevention Strategy. Participants had no self-reported diabetes. New diabetes was found in 161 participants (5.0%) and pre-diabetes in 414 [impaired glucose tolerance 299 (9.3%), impaired fasting glucose 115 (3.6%)]. The mean difference in capillary and venous measures was 0.02 mmol/L. Capillary POCT predicted dysglycaemia and impaired glucose tolerance and new diabetes (area under curve 0.76 and 0.71) more poorly than venous laboratory analysis (area under curve 0.87 and 0.81, respectively). Optimal screening criteria were best at a venous glucose of 5.4 mmol/L; 77% sensitivity/specificity.
