• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Meter Reading Accuracy

M

Mshoane

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I am currently using Free Style Light and One-Touch meter reading and have come up with a differential of 25%-30%. I read that Free Style is based on whole blood results (lower reading) and One Touch on Plasma Calibrated System (higher reading) (differentiation should be between 8% and 12%). However, my readings (see below) have drastic spread.
For example #1: (pre-meal)
Free Style: 74 and One Touch: 107 (31% difference)
Example #2: (pre-meal)
Free Style: 70 and One Touch: 97 (28% difference)
Could anyone shed some light on which one is more accurate? Should I go by Free Style and simply increase the number by 30%?
Why is there such a drastic difference?
Much appreciation!
Mary
 
Good morning @Mshoane my apologies ny friend but I haven't enough knowledge yet to answer your question but I would like to see the answer's,I am sure one of our more knowledgeable friends will be able to answer it for you:)
 
Mshoane said:
I am currently using Free Style Light and One-Touch meter reading and have come up with a differential of 25%-30%. I read that Free Style is based on whole blood results (lower reading) and One Touch on Plasma Calibrated System (higher reading) (differentiation should be between 8% and 12%). However, my readings (see below) have drastic spread.
For example #1: (pre-meal)
Free Style: 74 and One Touch: 107 (31% difference)
Example #2: (pre-meal)
Free Style: 70 and One Touch: 97 (28% difference)
Could anyone shed some light on which one is more accurate? Should I go by Free Style and simply increase the number by 30%?
Why is there such a drastic difference?
Much appreciation!
Mary
Click to expand...

I am using ON-CALL plus II and Freestyle Precision Neo. The Neo is always 0.3-0.4 mol higher than the ON-CALL Plus II.
 
In some ways the difference between the 2 is not that important. It is more important that whichever you stick with you note the variance over time. I note you are using American readings, but I would think you could see your health professional and perform simultaneous measurements with their in-house calibrated systems.

I use a One Touch and a new Freestyle Libre, the Libre is all over the place for me, but really convenient.
 
Hi Mary
A few years ago all meters read the glucose level in your blood sample as whole blood. Then one manufacturer developed a meter calibrated to read the blood glucose sample as if it were plasma. Because the results of blood samples taken from your vein at your doctor's office or lab are reported as plasma.
By having the meter record results as plama, you and your healthcare team can more easily compare your lab tests with your blood glucose meter results.
Several other meter manufacturers followed suit, so that today most newer meters provide blood glucose readings as plasma readings.
The difference is that plasma numbers read about 10 - 12% higher than the older whole blood numbers. If your fasting and pre-meal blood glucose target is 90 - 130 mg/dl plasma glucose, it would be 80 - 120 mg/dl if your meter reads whole blood.
Another thing to consider is that the accuracy standard for all meters is +/ - 15%. So if two identical meters can give different readings from the same drop of blood and still conform to the standards, trying to compare meters that are measuring different things is impossible.
My advice would be to choose one meter and get rid of the other one.
 
Back
Top