Evaluation of a glucose meter for determining the glycemic responses of foods.
BACKGROUND
Glucose meters are convenient for measuring postprandial glycemic responses. However, their performance for this purpose has not been evaluated.


METHODS
Glucose responses of 7 potato meals were measured using the One Touch Ultra(R) (OTU) glucose meter and a reference method (Yellow Springs Instruments Glucose Analyzer, YSI) and the incremental areas under the curves (AUC) and glycemic index (GI) values compared.


RESULTS
Mean AUC(OTU) was greater than AUC(YSI) (192+/-8 vs. 175+/-7 mmolxmin/l, p=0.001), but GI(OTU) tended to be less than GI(YSI) (69+/-3 vs. 74+/-3, p=0.052). Bland-Altman difference plots showed wide 95% limits of agreement for AUC (-84 to 119 mmolxmin/l) and GI (-21 to 26) values of individual subjects, and for the mean GI values of the 7 foods (-11 to 21). Total and error variance of AUC and GI values were greater for OTU than YSI, and food means differed significantly for YSI (p<0.01) but not OTU (p=0.11).


CONCLUSIONS
AUC and GI values determined by OTU are more variable and do not agree well with those obtained by YSI. Thus, the OTU is not recommended for determining AUC or GI in normal subjects. This conclusion does not necessarily apply to other glucose meters whose performance should be evaluated.
Velangi
Amogh
A
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3E2.
Fernandes
Glen
G
Wolever
Thomas M S
TM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period
D001786:Blood Glucose