A COMPARISON BETWEEN ALTERNATIVE AND TRADE NAME GLUCOSE TEST STRIPS

OBJECTIVE- To determine the reliability of seven different alternative glucose test strips manufactured for use with three different glucose meters. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- Venous blood samples were obtain ed from volunteers to test trade name glucose test strips on the manuf acturers' glucose meters (One Touch II, Glucometer II, and Glucometer III), and the remainder of each sample was used for laboratory determi nation of blood glucose levels. In addition to the trade name test str ips, Quick Check and First Choice test strips were tested on all meter s, and Biotel test strips were also tested on the Glucometer III. RESU LTS- In linear regression analysis, the R(2) ranged from 0.84 to 0.97 for the test strips compared with plasma glucose values. The test stri ps with the highest accuracy and precision at all ranges of blood gluc ose levels were the One Touch II and Glucometer III trade name strips and the Quick Check and First Choice alternative strips for the One To uch II glucose meter and the First Choice alternative strip for the Gl ucometer II. Subgroup analysis based on ranges of blood glucose values , however, revealed that the alternative strips were not as accurate a s the trade name test strips, with the exception of the First Choice-a lternative test strip for the Glucometer II. All of the trade name tes t strips were more precise than the alternative test strips designed f or the individual meters. CONCLUSIONS- Alternative glucose test strips can be used to predict the actual laboratory blood glucose values but are generally not as accurate or precise as the trade name test strip s.