title: A comparison of blood glucose meters in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the accuracy and precision of the five currently available blood glucose meters in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Control solutions from manufacturers were used to determine the precision for each meter. Glucose levels in capillary blood samples from 49 patients attending a diabetes clinic were measured with each meter and with a laboratory reference method.
  
  
  METHODS
  The coefficient of variation was calculated to determine precision. Bias, Error Grid analysis, and Bland-Altman plots were used to determine accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CVs of most meters were acceptable at <5%. Bias ranged from 4.0 to 15.5% with only 1 meter satisfying the American Diabetes Association recommendation of <5% bias. Error Grid analysis showed that 94-100% of readings were clinically accurate, and that none of the differences from the reference method would lead to clinical errors. Bland-Altman plots showed that for two meters the magnitude of the difference between the meter and the reference method increased with increasing glucose values, but did not change significantly with glucose level for the other 3 meters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Currently available blood glucose meters show acceptable precision, and any errors (with respect to a laboratory method) are highly unlikely to lead to clinical errors. However, only the CareSens meter achieved a bias of less than 5%.
authors: International Diabetes Institute, 250 Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Vic. 3162, Australia. mattcohen@idi.org.au
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Cohen
authors: Erin
authors: E
authors: Boyle
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Delaney
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Shaw
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003940:Diagnostic Techniques, Endocrine; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose