title: Evaluation of a point-of-care glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate meter operated in various environmental conditions in prepartum and postpartum sheep.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and glucose concentrations measured with a dual-purpose point-of-care (POC) meter designed for use in humans and a laboratory biochemical analyzer (LBA) to determine whether the POC meter would be reliable for on-farm measurement of blood glucose and BHB concentrations in sheep in various environmental conditions and nutritional states.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 pregnant mixed-breed ewes involved in a maternal feed restriction study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from each sheep at multiple points throughout gestation and lactation to allow for tracking of gradually increasing metabolic hardship. Whole blood glucose and BHB concentrations were measured with the POC meter and compared with serum results obtained with an LBA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  464 samples were collected. Whole blood BHB concentrations measured with the POC meter compared well with LBA results, and error grid analysis showed the POC values were acceptable. Whole blood glucose concentrations measured with the POC meter had more variation, compared with LBA values, over the glucose ranges evaluated. Results of error grid analysis of POC-measured glucose concentrations were not acceptable, indicating errors likely to result in needless treatment with glucose or other supplemental energy sources in normoglycemic sheep.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The POC meter was user-friendly and performed well across a wide range of conditions. The meter was adequate for detection of pregnancy toxemia in sheep via whole blood BHB concentration. Results should be interpreted with caution when the POC meter is used to measure blood glucose concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Katlin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hornig
authors.forename: Stacey R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Callan
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Hyungchul
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid