Glucose monitoring systems (GMS) are routinely used by patients with diabetes to monitor glycemic control and modify treatment as needed. In this respect, the analytical performance of GMS is of course of crucial importance. The accuracy of GMS is usually assessed according to the Guidelines of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A new standard has recently been published with more stringent criteria than in the previous edition.1,2 Minimum acceptable system accuracy requirements for GMS now specify that ≥95% of the glucose meter results may not differ more than ±15 mg/dl from the reference method at glucose concentrations < 100 mg/dl (previously < 75 mg/dl) and ±15% (previously ±20%) at glucose concentrations ≥ 100 mg/dl.1 Furthermore, concerning prevalence and range of outliers, it is now specified that >99% of measured glucose values must fall in zones A and B of the consensus error grid.During the consultation process of the new criteria it has been suggested that the analytical performance of GMS is highly dependent on its intended use.3-6 For example, insulin-dependent patients under intensified glycemic control require highly accurate devices for adequate insulin dosing, whereas patients with Type 2 diabetes who are treated with medication with no or little risk of hypoglycemia could use less accurate GMS. It has, therefore, been suggested that the analytical accuracy of GMS should be tested not only in relation to BG level ranges below and above 100 mg/dL but also in relation to different glycemic ranges, as already previously proposed for continuous glucose monitoring systems. The aim of the present study was to analyze test results from 27 GMS obtained in a clinical setting, with regard to (1) analytical accuracy according to the new ISO accuracy limits as well as after stratification into 5 different BG level ranges and (2) frequency and extent of outliers.
AbstractWe investigated the analytical accuracy of 27 glucose monitoring systems (GMS) in a clinical setting, using the new ISO accuracy limits. In addition to measuring accuracy at blood glucose (BG) levels < 100 mg/dl and > 100 mg/dl, we also analyzed devices performance with respect to these criteria at 5 specific BG level ranges, making it possible to further differentiate between devices with regard to overall performance. Carbohydrate meals and insulin injections were used to induce an increase or decrease in BG levels in 37 insulin-dependent patients. Capillary blood samples were collected at 10-minute intervals, and BG levels determined simultaneously using GMS and a laboratory-based method. Results obtained via both methods were analyzed according to the new ISO criteria. Only 12 of 27 devices tested met overall requirements of the new ISO accuracy limits. When accuracy was assessed at BG levels < 100 mg/dl and > 100 mg/dl, criteria were met by 14 and 13 devices, respectively. A more detailed analysis involving 5 different BG level ranges revealed that 13 (48.1%) devices met the required criteria at BG levels between...