EVALUATION OF 5 DEVICES FOR SELF-MONITORING OF BLOOD-GLUCOSE IN THE NORMOGLYCEMIC RANGE

Although hypoglycaemia is a serious risk of intensive insulin therapy, studies on the accuracy of devices for self-monitoring of blood gluco se (SMBG) include only a few values below 100 mg/dl. This study evalua ted five SMBG devices in the normal range of blood glucose. In three s eparate series, capillary blood was taken from 207. 214 and 49 healthy subjects and was analysed with the SMBG devices and a laboratory meth od. Mean (+/- standard deviation) blood glucose values were 86 +/- 13 mg/dl, 83 +/- 12 mg/dl and 90 +/- 16 in series 1-3. All measurements w ith SMBG devices differed significantly from the laboratory method. Th e relative deviation from the laboratory method was 5.5% (2.4-10.5%, m edian and interquartile range) for Accutrend(R), 7.1% (3.6-12.6%) for Precision QID(R), 7.5% (3.7-13.7%) for Accu-Chek III(R), 14.1% (6.2-22 .2%) for Companion 2(R) and 15.2% (10.3-21.3%) for One Touch II(R) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study shows important differences in the accuracy of five SMBG devices in the normoglycaemic range. Accutrend(R ) and - to a lesser degree - AccuChek III(R) and Precision QID(R) obta ined better results and can be recommended for SMBG in patients treate d with intensive insulin therapy.