title: Hematocrit interference of blood glucose meters for patient self-measurement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormal hematocrit levels may interfere with glucose readings of patient self-assessment blood glucose (BG) meters. The aim of this laboratory investigation was to assess the potential influence of hematocrit variations on a variety of BG meters applying different measurement technologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venous heparinized blood was manipulated to contain three different BG concentrations (50-90, 120-180, and 280-350 mg/dl) and five different hematocrit levels (25%, 35%, 45%, 55%, and 65%). After careful oxygenation to normal blood oxygen pressure (65-100 mmHg), each sample was measured (eight times) with the following devices: Accu-Chek® Aviva Nano and Active, Breeze®2 and Contour®, FreeStyle Freedom Lite®, GlucoDr. auto™, Glucofix® mio Plus, GlucoLab™, GlucoMen® LX Plus, Nova Max® Link, Nova Max® Plus, OneTouch® Ultra®2 and Verio®, On Call® Plus and Platinum, Optium Xceed®, Precision Xceed®, and TaiDoc Fora TD-4227. A YSI 2300 STAT Plus™ glucose analyzer served as reference method. Stability to hematocrit influence was assumed, with <10% mean glucose result bias between the highest and lowest hematocrit levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the investigated meters showed a stable performance in this investigation: Accu-Chek Active (7%),        Glucofix mio Plus (5%), GlucoMen LX Plus (4%), Nova Max Plus (4%), Nova Max Link (7%), and OneTouch Verio (3%). All other meters failed this hematocrit interference test, with FreeStyle Freedom Lite (11%), and On Call Platinum (12%) being the better devices and On Call Plus (68%), GlucoLab (51%), TaiDoc Fora TD-4227 (39%), and Breeze 2 (38%) showing the worst performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hematocrit may affect BG meter performance in daily routine. In case of interference, low hematocrit values (<35%) result in too high readings. Our results encourage use of meters that are not affected by hematocrit interference.
authors: IKFE Institute for Clinical Research and Development, Mainz, Germany.
authors: Sanja
authors: S
authors: Ramljak
authors: John Paul
authors: JP
authors: Lock
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Schipper
authors: Petra B
authors: PB
authors: Musholt
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Forst
authors: Martha
authors: M
authors: Lyon
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Pfützner
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000592:standards*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose