Accuracy Of Different Blood Glucose Meters

[Pete46]

I have been using a GlucoRx Nexus provided by my GP surgery for over two years, we have just moved house to a different county and our new surgery has issued me with a B Braun Omnitest 3.

This morning I used the Omnitest 3 for the first time and I also did a test with the Nexus for comparison as I had one test strip left but there was a noticeable difference in the readings, the Omnistest 3 display read 8.4 and the Nexus read 7.7. I washed my hands before the readings drying them with kitchen tissue and using the same lancet site, the tests were within seconds of each other.

Is this size of difference between meters normal or is one of them inaccurate and if so which one?

I would like to believe that the GlucoRx Nexus is correct and the B Braun Omnitest 3 is reading high but I doubt it. In any case I know I need to do better but I am still recovering from total knee replacement surgery 3 months ago.

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @Pete46 With the greatest respect this is only a minimal mmol/l difference, neither is wholly accurate as there is a margin of difference on all meters, I tend to stick to one so I don't become puzzled with differences as they will all report a different result.

 

[porl69]

Hi @Pete46 as @Juicyj has said stick to 1 meter other wise you will get conflicting readings (and end up getting confused and frustrated with your results). There is a -/+ 15% variation allowed for the meters to be used. Stick to 1 meter

 

[Deleted Account]

The standard for meters is they need to be about 15% accurate.
For example, if your true reading was 8.0, the meters could report anything between 6.8 and 9.2.

As for which meter is most accurate - they must all comply with the same accuracy standard.

I agree with @Juicyj that you should stick to one meter.

 

[bulkbiker]

I'm more interested in how you managed to get prescribed a meter if you are diet controlled as your profile says?

 

[Moggely]

I bought a meter after joining this forum, as was told by doc not needing to test. Then the diabetic educator gave me one as well and both showed different readings. I now only use the one as like everyone is saying, to confusing with two different numbers and was depressing also. Actually i should have said i paid only $15 for the one the nurse gave me. I prefer the one i bought myself.

 

[davidjb]

15% inaccuracy is ridiculous and shows how unconcerned meter/strip manufacturers are about our health concerns. How on Earth are T1s supposed to accurately measure their insulin needs with that amount of inaccuracy? I realise that 100% accuracy is unrealistic but the maximum inaccuracy should be 5%.

 

[Mr_Pot]

15% inaccuracy is ridiculous and shows how unconcerned meter/strip manufacturers are about our health concerns. How on Earth are T1s supposed to accurately measure their insulin needs with that amount of inaccuracy? I realise that 100% accuracy is unrealistic but the maximum inaccuracy should be 5%.

The way they work using a enzyme to convert glucose to an electric current has inherent limited accuracy. If you can devise a more accurate method you can make a fortune.

 

[Keith_Simpson]

I have been using a GlucoRx Nexus provided by my GP surgery for over two years, we have just moved house to a different county and our new surgery has issued me with a B Braun Omnitest 3.

This morning I used the Omnitest 3 for the first time and I also did a test with the Nexus for comparison as I had one test strip left but there was a noticeable difference in the readings, the Omnistest 3 display read 8.4 and the Nexus read 7.7. I washed my hands before the readings drying them with kitchen tissue and using the same lancet site, the tests were within seconds of each other.

Is this size of difference between meters normal or is one of them inaccurate and if so which one?

I would like to believe that the GlucoRx Nexus is correct and the B Braun Omnitest 3 is reading high but I doubt it. In any case I know I need to do better but I am still recovering from total knee replacement surgery 3 months ago.

I was given a GlucoRx Nexus by my GP but you get what you pay for & these are most likly the cheapest. I compared its readings with a Contour XT & an Aviva Nano that I had bought for myself previously. The contour XT & Aviva Nano were continuously on the same page but the Nexus continuously differed by a significant amount. In the end for accuracy, I persuaded the prescribing authority for my area to sanction my GP to prescribe test strips for my Contour XT. I suggest you buy a Bayer contour XT or equivalent & do your own comparison tests. I don't know the Omnitest 3 but personally I wouldn't trust the Nexus to give accurate readings.

 

[Britishbob]

The standard for meters is they need to be about 15% accurate.
For example, if your true reading was 8.0, the meters could report anything between 6.8 and 9.2.

As for which meter is most accurate - they must all comply with the same accuracy standard.

I agree with @Juicyj that you should stick to one meter.

Think you mean they need to be within 15% difference of a reference sample - wouldn’t be much use if they were only 15% accurate

 

[Britishbob]

15% inaccuracy is ridiculous and shows how unconcerned meter/strip manufacturers are about our health concerns. How on Earth are T1s supposed to accurately measure their insulin needs with that amount of inaccuracy? I realise that 100% accuracy is unrealistic but the maximum inaccuracy should be 5%.

Think about what you have said - the tolerance level was tightened from 20% to 15% around 3 years ago - some manufacturers struggled - see Freckmann clinical paper on internet - if they could achieve better they would so they could say their product is most accurate - unfortunately CCGs don’t care they just want the cheapest

 

[DunePlodder]

@davidjb You wouldn't have been very happy using bm strips for testing!

 

[Scott-C]

@davidjb You wouldn't have been very happy using bm strips for testing!

Lol! I went on a nostalgia trip about a year ago and bought a pack of that type of testing strip, newer version called Glucoflex-R - I'd forgotten how big a drop of blood they needed - practically an armful!

 

[DunePlodder]

@Scott-C Yes indeed. The photo is my attempt to do a test today - a lot of blood & didn't work too well. Possibly because the strips expired in 2003..?
My BG was around 8.8 so the green section doesn't look too bad, the bottom half should be dark blue. Not much use if you were colour blind!

 

[lucas12]

I have been using a GlucoRx Nexus provided by my GP surgery for over two years, we have just moved house to a different county and our new surgery has issued me with a B Braun Omnitest 3.

This morning I used the Omnitest 3 for the first time and I also did a test with the Nexus for comparison as I had one test strip left but there was a noticeable difference in the readings, the Omnistest 3 display read 8.4 and the Nexus read 7.7. I washed my hands before the readings drying them with kitchen tissue and using the same lancet site, the tests were within seconds of each other.

Is this size of difference between meters normal or is one of them inaccurate and if so which one?

I would like to believe that the GlucoRx Nexus is correct and the B Braun Omnitest 3 is reading high but I doubt it. In any case I know I need to do better but I am still recovering from total knee replacement surgery 3 months ago.

Hi I have compared contour next one meter reading with a lab test twice now
First reading glucometer 6.1 - lab test 6.2
Second one, month later 6.8 - lab test 6.8
There were 2 different laboratories also

My 2 nexus gluco rx meters appears to have lower readings by 0.6 to 1.0 which is a lot.these have different readings even when same blood drop used.
So if my sugar is 6.0 nexus would show 5.0/5.4

I 've also got a cheap meters from t esco 10£ meter 10£ strips .These are more accurate than gluco rx and gives simular readings to next one

 

[Pete46]

I'm more interested in how you managed to get prescribed a meter if you are diet controlled as your profile says?

In early 2016, before we found this site, I was on maximum Metformin plus Gliclizide and my HbA1c had crept up to 89. The DN at our then surgery was getting concerned, we mentioned that we were considering changes to our diet after hearing about the Newcastle Diet in the news. I was offered a blood glucose meters to assist with monitoring and reduce the need for more medication, or maybe I was just lucky

 

[videoman]

@davidjb You wouldn't have been very happy using bm strips for testing!

Yes I have used the test strips and dipping it in urine, trouble is the actual reading lags behind by about 3 hours as the glucose has to go via the kidney’s, You think that is old hat, when I was diagnosed the way to check glucose via urine was to use a "clinitest tablet" in a test tube which got hot and boiled the urine into a colour change, terrible to see as the colours given were never like the colours shown in the test tube and finally all meters differ as I have 2 meters from the same maker and using the shared blood drop they both showed different figures

 

[britishpub]

15% inaccuracy is ridiculous and shows how unconcerned meter/strip manufacturers are about our health concerns. .

How much does a meter cost ?

How much does a test strip cost ?

There is your answer as to why they are so inaccurate.

If there was a market for a meter that costs £250 and test strips costing £10 each I am such someone would fill the void and supply a meter that is much more accurate.

 

[Bill_St]

It always amazes me just how trusting we all are about “accuracy”.
Just because a reading has a decimal point in it does not mean it is accurate.
One major problem is that things are (almost) never tested in a home environment.
When 18 meters were tested in the USA, 2/3rds could not even meet the 15% error allowance they are meant to meet - https://diatribe.org/are-blood-glucose-meters-accurate-new-data-18-meters
- Then there are the strips. One trial in a hospital showed that strip vials left open for 2 hours could then result in over 20% errors.
Then we come to the real horror story - Insulin.

Insulin is supposed to leave the manufacturer with 95% of the stated strength.
When random samples were tested at pharmacies by doctors in the USA, some were less than 14%
The average was 40%
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/891322
They are now going through a major review.
Do you really think we will be so much better in the U.K. and Europe?
Try reading some of the medical papers rather than just manufacturers’ hype. ...

We can only trust accuracy if we test and compare - and even then much is guesswork.

 

[Alexandra100]

How much does a meter cost ?

How much does a test strip cost ?

There is your answer as to why they are so inaccurate.

If there was a market for a meter that costs £250 and test strips costing £10 each I am such someone would fill the void and supply a meter that is much more accurate.

According to Dr Bernstein, the meters and strips sold by Abbott are reasonably accurate, most others not. However the Abbott strips are so dear, I have never been able to bring myself to buy them. He also says that at higher readings no meters can cope.