Test Strip Comparison 6-22-24
Dr. John A. Allocca
Time: 10:11 am
Contour Next Glucose Test Strips: 96 mg/dl, $26.50 / 70 ($0.38 each) Amazon
Auvon Glucose Test Strips: 107 mg/dl, $26.99 / 150 ($0.18 each) Amazon
Dexcom G7 CGM: 117 mg/dl
Lab: 105 mg/dl
John
Does your lab give you any info on methodology, accuracy and precision? I use Quest because insurance pays 100% but they say nothing about their tests which makes me suspicious.
I don’t think any labs give you that info. I never found it.
John
I use a Contour and a One Touch. One is by the bed and one by the computer. I compare them all the time. They are always within 2-4 points of each other. I actually like the One Touch better because it calls for less blood.
I just got notice from Amazon was giving me a refund due to test strip purchases I made 3 years ago, poor quality strips. They said do not use them,hello? Had to look back 3 years to figure out what they where talking about. Be aware …Nancy50
I don’t need to use a meter very often but when I do I want it to be accurate. Like everyone else here. So, long story made a little shorter: about six months ago the endo clinic staff dropped my Contour Next One meter and it was fubar. They gave me a One Touch Verio Reflect meter as compensation. I smiled and said thank you but I knew One Touch meters had the reputation of being random number generators. But, just because, I gave it a try, comparing it to my Contour Next One and Accu-chek Guide and, shocking but true, it agreed and had high repeatability. So not saying it’s better than my two favorite meters just that it’s not junk like the older One Touch meters. I’m using it exclusively now as it has some nice features and it also is extremely close to drawn lab values. Who would have thought? 
Do you ever do two or three tests in a row to compare results? Whenever I do, with the Freestyle meter built into my Omnipod PDM, results are often close but can sometimes differ by over 1 mmol/L (about 20 mg/dL). That can make a significant difference to dosing.
Yes, I have. They usually don’t vary much more than 2 mg/dl
John
Here’s a bit more data…Time 9:12am - 1Touch Ultra Mini 67 mg/dl; True Metrix Pro 60mg/dl and Dexcom G6 54 mg/dl.
9:39am: 1Touch Ultra Mini 84mg/dl; True Metrix Pro 77mg/dl and Dexcom 49mg/dl.
Here’s some info from Consumer Reports:
The True Metrix Pro test strips are available for $.17/strip - $8.28/ bottle of 50 strips (Save Rite Medical)
Some things we can learn from your data…
Fun extra reading…
Here’s the most recent study of BGMs I found. System accuracy evaluation of 18 CE-marked current-generation blood glucose monitoring systems based on EN ISO 15197:2015 - PMC
Table 1 in Patient Satisfaction With a New, High Accuracy Blood Glucose Meter That Provides Personalized Guidance, Insight, and Encouragement - PMC nicely illustrates how some BGMs have more variability when put in the hands of real people.
The original Parkes Error Grid paper and Dexcom and Abbott using the Parkes Error Grid when reporting malfunctions to the FDA.
For those who want to know more about the accuracy of their glucometer and choose one that has the best accuracy among others.
The lower the MARD the better. And 95% confidence level is very accurate in regression analysis.
I am using Contour next one with contour next test strips, and there is no other glucometer or test strip that beats the performance of this combination as of yet🍀
I’d like to discourage people from paying attention to MARD. MARD is a statistic that’s handy for marketing. It doesn’t tell you and I anything useful about a device. The MARD from one study can’t be compared to the MARD calculated from another study.
Also note the particular study referenced only uses laboratory testing so it doesn’t represent the experience of patients. So this isn’t good data for us to use to compare BGMs.
I agree with your conclusion, I have a Contour Next too and really like it. Something about the design seems to make it do better when us regular people use it. However Bayer sold their diabetes supply division to a hedge fund years ago. Between the brain drain and loss of market share I will not be surprised when they start screwing up the test strips or new meter designs aren’t as good.
On the same chart you can see the SD (standard deviation) also. The lower the SD the better accuracy. Most of the time when I do lab test (fasting) I check my BG before the test, and results are quite close. Of course I am aware that my BG is never constant, thats why I am using an insulin pump. Even when we check the BG from different parts in our body, it differs. Knowing which glucometers are more accurate is helpful though
I’ve called the labs before to get info on the A1c accuracy. That was for publication, though. I got the name of the equipment they used and then found the specs.
That’s a really old study and they got after them for not meeting FDA requirements. I believe this study prompted changes, but I have not seen a similar study published more recently that can verify that. This study was done by the Diabetes Technology Society. We should be on them to perform another. They are a fantastic group that does a great conference every year. It was free during covid and broadcast so everyone could attend remotely. Diabetes Technology Society
