ACCURACY, PRECISION AND USER-ACCEPTABILITY OF SELF BLOOD-GLUCOSE MONITORING MACHINES

The performance of six self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) machines ( Accutrend(R), Reflolux S(R), Companion 2(R), Glucometer GX(R), Glucome ter IV(R) and One Touch II(R)) were examined using venous blood sample s from 88 patients. Whole blood glucose (BG) values were measured by f our machines from each brand. Machine-generated whole blood glucose (B G) values were corrected before comparison with laboratory plasma gluc ose values, measured by a glucose oxidase method. Based on error grid analysis, most of the corrected machine-generated BG values were clini cally acceptable. Accutrend(R), Glucometer IV(R) and Companion 2(R) sh owed the greatest consistency between machines of the same brand. Over 80% of corrected BG values generated by Glucometer IV(R) fell within +/- 10% of the reference values. One Touch II(R) yielded the most repr oducible results with a mean CV of 2.7% and was considered the most us er friendly machine. More studies are required to examine the performa nce of these machines in the hands of patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd.