COMPARISON OF 2 METHODS OF MEASUREMENT OF WHOLE-BLOOD GLUCOSE IN THE NEONATAL-PERIOD

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance and accuracy of the HemoCue B-Glucose photometer system and reagent strip tests use d in conjunction with reflectance photometry against a reference plasm a glucose method. One hundred consecutive babies admitted to the neona tal unit over a 6-month period were enrolled in the study. Each baby h ad a heelprick capillary glucose measured by HemoCue and reagent strip tests. At the same time venous plasma glucose and haematocrit were me asured. The mean difference between the reagent strip test and plasma glucose was significantly less than the corresponding value for the He moCue(0.015 +/- 1.41 vs 0.837 +/- 1.565 mmol l(-1),mean +/- SD); howev er, the agreement limits between both methods and plasma glucose were wide. No significant effect of haematocrit was detected on either meth od. The HemoCue photometer does not-offer any advantage over the widel y used reagent strip tests in the neonatal period. However, the limits of agreement of both methods compared with plasma glucose are too wid e to be clinically acceptable in the neonatal period.