¿Son fiables los medidores de glucemia capilar?

Objective

To assess the reliability of the portable blood glucose meters most used in a Health Area.

Methods

A diagnostic test analysis was conducted in the Zone VIII Health Centre, Albacete Health Area. A total of 50 diabetic patients with different treatments, and who came to the Centre to perform an analytical control, were included in the study. Capillary blood samples were measured on the seven glucometers to study. The results were compared with venous blood tested in the reference laboratory of the Albacete General University Hospital. For the descriptive analysis, means and percentages were used, and the Student's t test for paired data and standard deviation for analytical comparisons of the means, with 95% confidence intervals and P < .05.

Results

Of the 50 subjects who were included in the study, 48% were female, and the mean age was 59 years. The glucose readings ranged from 23 mg/dL to 292 mg/dL and with haematocrits between 36.4% and 53.8%. The mean differences between the results from the reference laboratory and the different glucometers were as follows: Contour Link^® 6.30; Accu-Chek^® Aviva 10.20; Glucocard^® 10.32; Optium Xceed^® 12.24; FreeStyle Freedom^® 13.62; One Touch Ultra 2^® 18.16; Breeze 2^® –8.08.

Conclusions

Glucometers generally give reasonable results compared to those measured in venous blood, and are highly reliable for the self-monitoring diabetic patient.