[Self-monitoring by patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus one year after initiation: user errors in a quarter of cases].
OBJECTIVE
To inventory the errors made during self-monitoring of blood-glucose values by diabetes patients.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
In patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus who were registered with the West-Friesland Diabetes Care System (the Netherlands) during the period 1 April 2000-30 April 2001, and who had been monitoring their own glucose values for more than one year, checks for meter and user errors were carried out. When the patients first started using the glucose meter they were instructed by a diabetes nurse. The checks were carried out by a specially-trained nurse using a specifically-designed check list.


RESULTS
Of the 249 participating patients, 123 were female and the mean age was 69 years. User errors in self-monitoring of the blood glucose occurred in 59 patients (24%). These primarily involved the use of expired or incorrect glucose strips (n = 17) and incorrect serial numbers (n = 16). No errors were made while placing the drop of blood on the glucose strip. Almost all patients had questions about the use of the glucose meter.


CONCLUSIONS
Systematic checks of patient self-monitoring detected user errors in 24%.
Nijpels
G
G
VU Medisch Centrum, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam.
Serrée
M J
MJ
Dekker
J M
JM
Heine
R J
RJ
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011934:Reagent Strips / Q000592:standards
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D011934:Reagent Strips