Evaluation of Hematocrit Influence on Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Based on ISO 15197:2013: Comparison of a Novel System With Five Systems With Different Hematocrit Ranges.

INTRODUCTION: ISO 15197:2013 recommends testing procedures and acceptance criteria for the evaluation of influence quantities such as hematocrit on measurement results with systems for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). In this study, hematocrit influence was evaluated for a novel SMBG system (system A) and five other systems with different hematocrit ranges based on ISO 15197:2013. METHODS: Test procedures were performed with one test strip lot for each system. Each system was tested within the hematocrit range indicated in the manufacturer's labeling (system A: 10-65%, B: 15-65%, C: 20-60%, D: 35-60%, E: 30-60%, F: 30-55%). According to ISO 15197:2013, clause 6.4.2, venous blood samples were used for the evaluation of hematocrit influence. The evaluation was performed for three glucose concentration categories (30-50 mg/dL, 96-144 mg/dL, and 280-420 mg/dL). For each glucose concentration category, at least five different hematocrit levels were investigated. RESULTS: The novel system A and systems B, E, and F complied with the tested lot with the defined criteria and showed ≤10 mg/dL and ≤10% difference between the test sample and the respective control sample with a hematocrit value of 42% ± 2% for BG concentrations <100 mg/dL and ≥100 mg/dL, respectively. Two systems showed >10% difference at glucose concentrations ≥100 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Remarkable hematocrit influence within the labeled hematocrit range was obtained in two systems with the tested reagent system lot. Adequate SMBG systems should be carefully chosen by patients and their health care professionals, particularly for patients with increased and decreased hematocrit values.

Assessing System Accuracy of Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Using Rectangle Target Plots.

BACKGROUND: Results from accuracy assessments of systems for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) are often visualized in difference or regression plots. These approaches become more difficult to read as the number of data points displayed increases, thus limiting their use. In the recently presented rectangle target plot (RTP) approach, data from each reagent system lot or product are displayed graphically as a single rectangle, thus allowing the plot to remain comprehensible even when displaying system accuracy data from multiple reagent system lots or products. METHODS: The RTP illustrates the accuracy of SMBG systems. Each rectangle shows the mean bias and the variability of a system. By use of statistical tolerance intervals, each rectangle most closely approximates the total error for lower (<100 mg/dL) and upper (≥100 mg/dL) glucose concentrations. RTPs were created for data from 8 different manufacturers of systems for SMBG. In total, the accuracy data of 87 different reagent system lots of 50 different SMBG systems were displayed in RTPs. RESULTS: The RTP approach was suitable for 81 of the 87 reagent system lots analyzed. In the remaining cases, outliers caused excessive skewness of the distribution of measurements. The reagent system lots analyzed were grouped according to manufacturer in RTPs. Data from 3 to 15 different reagent system lots were displayed in each RTP. CONCLUSION: Applying the RTP approach to a large number of reagent system lots showed that it was suitable in more than 93% of cases analyzed. The display of system accuracy data in RTPs enables lot-to-lot variability within specific products and product reliability of specific manufacturers to be visualized in a comprehensible manner.

Effects of microdialysis catheter insertion into the subcutaneous adipose tissue assessed by the SCGM1 system.

To monitor glucose in patients with diabetes continuously a microdialysis-based glucose sensor system (SCGM1 System, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) is under clinical development. This system allows monitoring of glucose levels in the subcutaneous interstitial fluid of patients with diabetes for a maximum duration of up to 120 h. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of microdialysis catheter insertion on the stability of the SCGM1 System glucose sensor signal. At four study sites, 47 experiments with the prototype of the novel SCGM1 System were performed in 42 patients with type 1 diabetes; two additional experiments were performed in two healthy volunteers. The microdialysis catheter was inserted in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the patients in order to measure the glucose concentration in the interstitial fluid continuously. The catheter was perfused with a pump rate of 0.3 microL/min. For method comparison capillary blood glucose measurements were performed as reference values. In addition, the skinfold thickness was measured. Out of the total of 49 experiments 34 were usable. The average monitoring time in these experiments was 106.0 +/- 14.3 h (mean +/- SD). However, for this study the data from the first study day were evaluated in more detail. The analysis showed that during the first 12 h after catheter insertion the sensor signal increased 20% in comparison with the capillary blood glucose values (normalized calibration factor). This leads to a lower normalized calibration factor compared with the following study days. It remains stable in the time thereafter. The skinfold thickness showed no significant effect on the sensor signal. The observed increase in sensor signal in the first hours after insertion of the microdialysis catheter was probably due to a local trauma, which can induce an inflammation reaction. Thereafter, the signal registered by the SCGM1 System was stable and free of drift to the end of the experiment.