Comparing self-monitoring blood glucose devices

Eleven types of self-monitoring blood glucose devices were evaluated for reliability and accuracy. Devices were divided into three groups according to time of evaluation. Each device within a group determined the capillary whole blood glucose value of a patient in random order, and these values were compared with venous plasma glucose values determined simultaneously by the laboratory glucose oxidase method. Ninety venous plasma glucose samples and capillary whole blood samples determined by each self-monitoring blood glucose device were examined in each group. All devices, except one, had excellent reliability and accuracy of capillary whole blood glucose values compared with venous plasma glucose values determined by the laboratory method.