I am trying to find info about the actual accuracy of glucometers and I came across this article that is very interesting: http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/6/531-a
The premise is that the accuracy is greatly affected by hematocrit, and accuracy is closer to +/-30% instead of even the terrible +/-20% promised by the manufacturers!
This report is from a double blind multicenter study. It reported no significant differnce between lab and glucometer tests… Thye differences were from hemocrit and CO2 in the blood. so an anemic patient maybe mistreated for sugar levels.
danny
Right, but they also stated that the anemia was “clinically allowed” or somesuch thing, meaning it was not at the threshold of being considered a medical problem. I am sure that almost none of us have perfect iron numbers. I currently have great iron because I’m on prenatal vitamins, but normally I am slightly anemic. I’m sure I’m not the only one!
We usually ask our patients to bring their glcometers with them for calibration,we check BG ,and send blood for glucose in our Lab at the same time.We do not rely on glucometes for definite diagnosis of cases of hypoglycemia ( hyperinsulinism and in born error of metaboilsm)
Thanks Misty
That’s very scary. I checked today and it was 52. I didn’t feel that low. Checked immediatly again and got a 64. There’s a big difference in that. But it beats the old technology I suppose. Hopefully, technology will continue to get better.