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Diabetes Soapbox - Have Your Say
Making the best of a bad situation... Which BG meter?
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<blockquote data-quote="ians1" data-source="post: 72735" data-attributes="member: 10560"><p>Most home testing kits should yield an accuracy of within +/- 5% of the actual value (1). The problem is that without expensive laboratory equipment that is calibrated you will never know what the "real" value is/was for a particular sample.</p><p></p><p>Many meters require you to "calibrate" them using control solutions and/or calibration chips etc. There are limitations on the use of many meters, eg some cannot be used at high altitude or at high temperatures or low temperatures. By far the biggest variance is the blood sample itself, it needs to be fresh and used within 30 seconds. Blood is very sensitive to being handled and can change its composition radically if bashed about even slightly. Thats the main reason the same sample would give different readings on different meters or even a variance of more than +/- 5% on the same meter.</p><p></p><p>Some meters and associated test strips have been rigorously tested against more accurate laboratory equipment and have yielded results as accurate as +/- 3% (1)</p><p></p><p>Unless readings are far outwith what is expected and can be repeated, there is little cause for concern. In any case clinical diagnosis is not advised from just home test results. But it is of concern if say Insulin levels are to be adjusted on the strength of it.</p><p></p><p>ian 8) </p><p></p><p>Ref (1) <a href="http://www.abbott.co.in/optium2.htm" target="_blank">http://www.abbott.co.in/optium2.htm</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ians1, post: 72735, member: 10560"] Most home testing kits should yield an accuracy of within +/- 5% of the actual value (1). The problem is that without expensive laboratory equipment that is calibrated you will never know what the "real" value is/was for a particular sample. Many meters require you to "calibrate" them using control solutions and/or calibration chips etc. There are limitations on the use of many meters, eg some cannot be used at high altitude or at high temperatures or low temperatures. By far the biggest variance is the blood sample itself, it needs to be fresh and used within 30 seconds. Blood is very sensitive to being handled and can change its composition radically if bashed about even slightly. Thats the main reason the same sample would give different readings on different meters or even a variance of more than +/- 5% on the same meter. Some meters and associated test strips have been rigorously tested against more accurate laboratory equipment and have yielded results as accurate as +/- 3% (1) Unless readings are far outwith what is expected and can be repeated, there is little cause for concern. In any case clinical diagnosis is not advised from just home test results. But it is of concern if say Insulin levels are to be adjusted on the strength of it. ian 8) Ref (1) [url=http://www.abbott.co.in/optium2.htm]http://www.abbott.co.in/optium2.htm[/url] [/QUOTE]
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Making the best of a bad situation... Which BG meter?
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