Blood Monitors Compared

[Mr TEL]

Re: Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar Launched!!!

Any target date for the Firefox version for us poor Mac users?

Likewise here!

 

[Sirmione]

I have tried 6 meters from 5 different types of meter from four different manufacturers and the SD Codefree seems to give the most consistent repeatable and accurate readings against real samples and control solutions but it its real advantage is low cost of strips.

My Bayer meters a Contour Next and Contour Next USB are well designed meters with much better PC software than that for the Codefree but the strips are more expensive and I have experienced more random rogue results than with the Codefree.

The Freestyle Freedom Lyte is a lovely meter with a quality feel and great PC software but I found the side sampling design of the test strips very awkward and I didn't have coincidence in the accuracy as both examples I own appear to read consistently high in parts of the range, and test strips are expensive compared to the SD CodeFree.

The other meter was a TrueResult Twist which I didn't like at all.

 

[tim2000s]

- no cable that comes with the package and a program poorly designed to keep personal medical records once you purchase the cable. Cables should be universal, be able to sync with any computer and available at your local pharmacy

That's odd Galja. My freestyle lite came with a micro USB cable, so you should be able to use any micro USB cable with it.

- really poor lancets that are proprietary to the system. After you use them, disposing of them is rendered almost impossible without stabbing yourself as the part of the lancet that gets removed when put in the lancing device cannot serve as a receptacle for the lancet.

Most people find a lancing device that they like and stick with it. You aren't tied into a lancing device by the meter manufacturer unless you are using an all in one like the Aviva Mobile or the Dario systems.

- testing strips, as per industry usual are ganged into a little plastic case. They could come paper wrapped for individual use and come in a pop up container so that after we wash our hand after taking our blood sugar, residual moisture or humidity does not adversely affect the whole lot.

I think we overestimate the concern of residual humidity on blood testing strips. They are inaccurate at the best of times and you really should have properly dried hands before blood testing otherwise you run the risk of diluting the blood. As an aside, I've been using the Optium strips for six months and the individual foil wrapping is really annoying too. It's really a bit of a rock and a hard place issue!

- It should be possible to do pulse, BP, O2 and blood sugars with one small multipurpose meter and without the adhesives of a patch to which some folks are allergic.

I'm sure that it will be eventually. Blood pressure is perhaps more of a challenge given the mechanics, and I'm not sure of the value of blood oxygenation figures (it's not something I've seen a need for myself), but really I think the future is a set of sensors that connect with the really powerful computer that most have in their pockets (their smartphone) and real time monitoring from that. I mentioned this in a recent blog post: http://crick-tech-munch.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-interconnected-diabetic-sugar.html

 

[Sirmione]

It is amazing the lack interest in producing Android compatible meters, I use low cost Android compatible Bluetooth devices all the time to connect to diagnostics devices in my car why not my blood glucose meter?.
Also while most of the more popular meters on the market can connect to PC's via USB most require a special cable as far currently on Bayer produce a meter that has USB connector that will plug directly in to a computer's USB port..

 

[Sirmione]

Having tried blood pressure devices that fit on the wrist I found them pretty useless as the readings were almost random compared to those that fit round the upper arm.

 

[Kojo]

I use both Bayer's Contour Plus and Lifescan's One Touch Ultra 2 and they give different results with the Contour always about 1.5 higher. Is it because of the way they have been calibrated? Can somebody explain to me the difference between whole blood and plasma. Thanks.

 

[Oldvatr]

I use both Bayer's Contour Plus and Lifescan's One Touch Ultra 2 and they give different results with the Contour always about 1.5 higher. Is it because of the way they have been calibrated? Can somebody explain to me the difference between whole blood and plasma. Thanks.

i believe that a factor of 1.2 is required. I have a Codefree which consistently reads high when compared to my NEO. I think different calibration is used for meters that can use alternate site testing. They do not appear to have a switch to tell the meter when you are using alternate sites, Gets interesting when bgl is near the hypo range. I.E yesterday my NEO read 4.2, but my SD Codefree read 6.1 Gets confusing especially since when I change either meter to a new pack of strips, then I often see a 1 mmol/L change. However, the SD does give me misreads of up to 10mmol/L so my NEO reads 15 and the SD reads 25. OOOPS! error tends to get less the closer I get to hypo and is not linear.

 

[Sirmione]

After doing a bit of web research into how these meters work I am amazed they work with any degree of accuracy/
Because of any skin contamination high errors are always going to be more likely than low errors. Also with all the meter types I have tried against each other and test solution there is a much greater spread of results at the high end of the scale.
Only one meter I have tried was so far out of calibration in the 4 to 6 mmol/l range as to be unusable Having tested a few the only meters I trust are the SD and the Bayer Contour Next range.

 

[duryard]

Hi. I have just got a Accu-Chek Mobile and would like to connect to my PC (win 10) but the Pc and my Laptop also running wind 10 does not even recognize the device. Any help please

 

[Sirmione]

I have very recently encountered a similar installing USB Oscilloscope drivers,
The problem is the drivers are not signed by the source it is a Windows security setting that appears to have bee changed by a Windows security update.
What you have to do is disable "driver signature verification" which involves rebooting in safe mode.

A lot of people are having the problem so there are a few pages on the web on the subject

see http://www.howtogeek.com/167723/how...8.1-so-that-you-can-install-unsigned-drivers/

Hi. I have just got a Accu-Chek Mobile and would like to connect to my PC (win 10) but the Pc and my Laptop also running wind 10 does not even recognize the device. Any help please

 

[Fuzzylogik]

Hi,

I use the Accu-Chek® Compact Plus GT (sounds more like a sporty hatch-back), just wondering if anyone has any experience of using this one, would be interested to hear. I have been using it for about 1 and a half years, not really had any trouble with it.

My only negative is it can ask you to calibrate it at anytime, not good if your out and about and dont have the test solution with you!

Hi, I have two of these and still have one of the previous incarnation without the GT suffix, and am very happy with all of them. I like the integrated pricker and automated delivery of test strips.

Mine rarely if ever asks for calibration- I think it only happens if I remove and re-insert partially used test drum or batteries.

You can store a spare drum in its container and two control solution bottles under the flap in the bottom of the carrying pouch, and fresh lancets in the zip pocket. Everything to hand = Total convenience!

PC upload is only thing I miss, but use S-Health app on Samsung Note 4 to log and view trends.

Regards

 

[Alexandra100]

Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar Launched!!!

The Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar makes navigating the site and forum quicker and easier, making life easier for our regular visitors.

Download the Diabetes.co.uk Toolbar by clicking this link:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/toolbar/

Any feedback/suggestions welcome...

To save disappointment it would be good to indicate here that this is not suitable for Macs.

 

[xpeter007]

Plenty of diabetics are not satisfied with the accuracy of their BG meter. Some of them also noticed different BG readings with same blood sample on different BG meters. The reason might be "artificial" systematic bias implemented by manufactures into BG meters.

There has been made independent research comparing accuracy of 14 BG meters. In case you are interested check the research results onhttps://blog.gandalf.cz/t1d-en/glucose-meter-comparison-study

 

[Oldvatr]

Plenty of diabetics are not satisfied with the accuracy of their BG meter. Some of them also noticed different BG readings with same blood sample on different BG meters. The reason might be "artificial" systematic bias implemented by manufactures into BG meters.

There has been made independent research comparing accuracy of 14 BG meters. In case you are interested check the research results onhttps://blog.gandalf.cz/t1d-en/glucose-meter-comparison-study

There is a clue in the blog that tells us why. The blog tests used venous blood samples for both the lab check and the meters. Thus there is not a like for like comparison, Finger prick testers measure interstitial fluid, not blood, so have different calibration, and this used to be called Whole Blood Calibration, The lab meter is calibrated for what is called plasma calibration, which used to be significantly different. Modern home meters and their chemistry still measure whole blood, but are mathematically adjusted so that they mimic Plasma Lab meters, but the methods used are not exact due to the difference in what the different fluids contain. For a start, home bgl meters are more affected by Haematocrit value, as well as some other chemicals such as sugar alcohols eg malitol, which the Lab meters are not.

Because of copyright constraints each manufactuter will use different chemistries and sensors to measure the glucose, and this too can skew their results. According to ISO, modern home meters must meet certain accuracy standards, but they only need to do this once under ideal lab conditions. They are not verified on production to meet these standards either on a batch basis, or a per meter basis, or against other meters. So once their box has passed the test, they are free to sell us whatever they like, so long as it appears to do the job no one outside will know if they are in spec or way out for a given reading.

 

[imp]

Wondering if anyone using AccuChek Performa faces the same problem I face with variance in readings. I sometimes get as much as a 1.8 difference using the same meter within a minute apart. It makes me so disheartened because I don't trust the readings anymore. This meter does not need calibration and the AccuChek rep tells me it's the best meter for diabetic patients who are pregnant. Really? How so if it keeps giving inconsistent reading? I only found out about the inconsistent readings when I was asked by my endocrinologist to do 7-point testing everyday.

 

[Oldvatr]

Wondering if anyone using AccuChek Performa faces the same problem I face with variance in readings. I sometimes get as much as a 1.8 difference using the same meter within a minute apart. It makes me so disheartened because I don't trust the readings anymore. This meter does not need calibration and the AccuChek rep tells me it's the best meter for diabetic patients who are pregnant. Really? How so if it keeps giving inconsistent reading? I only found out about the inconsistent readings when I was asked by my endocrinologist to do 7-point testing everyday.

The accuracy for bgl meters is regulated by needing to adhere to the ISO standard for these meters. Since 2016, new meters are required to demonstrate that they give readings within +/- 15% of reading, so are allowed larger errors between meter readings as the glucose value increases. So for a reading of 10 mmol/l. then a meter is accurate with result in the range [10 -1.5] to [10+1.5] mmol/l, so a variance of 3 mmol/l between successive readings is considered accurate at that bgl value, and even between two meters testing the same drop of blood at the same time. Meters supplied before 2016 had even worse ISO limits.

Fact of life I'm afraid.

 

[imp]

The accuracy for bgl meters is regulated by needing to adhere to the ISO standard for these meters. Since 2016, new meters are required to demonstrate that they give readings within +/- 15% of reading, so are allowed larger errors between meter readings as the glucose value increases. So for a reading of 10 mmol/l. then a meter is accurate with result in the range [10 -1.5] to [10+1.5] mmol/l, so a variance of 3 mmol/l between successive readings is considered accurate at that bgl value, and even between two meters testing the same drop of blood at the same time. Meters supplied before 2016 had even worse ISO limits.

Fact of life I'm afraid.

Can't say I like the answer, but thanks for the kind explanation.

 

[Colin of Kent]

Plenty of diabetics are not satisfied with the accuracy of their BG meter. Some of them also noticed different BG readings with same blood sample on different BG meters. The reason might be "artificial" systematic bias implemented by manufactures into BG meters.

There has been made independent research comparing accuracy of 14 BG meters. In case you are interested check the research results onhttps://blog.gandalf.cz/t1d-en/glucose-meter-comparison-study

This is really interesting, just what I was searching for -- thank you. Do you know if the Fora Diamond strips are available on NHS prescription?

 

[MabsM]

Sorry if this is not the correct place to post this question, but has anyone come across a really “smart” blood glucometer that can automatically send sugar readings to an iPhone (newer iPhones do not have a phone hack) and do smart analysis of the readings to recommend best insulin dosages?

Thank You

 

[SOPHIE2006]

I use one touch select plus blood glucose monitor