A Comparison of Accuracy and Estimated Cost of Methods for Home Blood Glucose Monitoring
- Brahm Shapiro,
- Peter J Savage,
- Diane Lomatch,
- Thomas Gniadek,
- Ray Forbes,
- Rebecca Mitchell,
- Karla Hein,
- Renate Starr,
- Marie Nutter and
- Betty Scherdt
- Diabetes Center Unit, Diabetes Research and Training Center, and the Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Metabolism Research Unit), University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Address reprint requests to Peter J. Savage, Room E-5105 Main, University of Michigan Hospital, 1405 East Ann Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109.
Abstract
Venous serum glucose concentrations determined by a laboratory hexokinase technique were compared over a wide range of glucose concentrations with concentrations of capillary blood glucose determined by three reflectance meter techniques currently available in the United States (Eyetone and Dextrometer, Ames Company; StatTek, Bio-Dynamics BMC) and by visual interpretation of reagent strips (Chemstrip bG, Bio-Dynamics BMC). The Chemstrip bG reagent strip was read by patients, nurses, and a physician. In all cases, there was an excellent correlation between laboratory serum glucose concentrations and reflectance meter blood glucose determinations (r = 0.90–0.94, P < 0.0001) or visual interpretation of Chemstrip bG (r = 0.85–0.92, P < 0.0001). Chemstrip bG appears to be the least expensive method of glucose measurement. This method offers additional advantages in not requiring a reflectance meter, which needs frequent recalibration and other ancillary equipment for blood glucose determination.
- Copyright © 1981 by the American Diabetes Association
