Evaluation of a New POCT Bedside Glucose Meter and Strip With Hematocrit and Interference Corrections

Introduction: Based on the expanding role of point of care testing glucose meters and the need to improve accuracy and precision, the new Nova Biomedical StatStrip was evaluated and compared with the LifeScan SureStepFlexx (current point of care testing meter). Methods: Specimen volume variation, within-run imprecision, lot-to-lot bias, bias relative to a plasma hexokinase assay, and analytical interferences likely to be encountered in hospitalized patients were studied. Results: Strip dosing did not affect the StatStrip meter but did affect the SureStepFlexx at 5-and 50-KL specimen volumes. Within-run precision for each glucose meter was less than 5% at 39 to 47 mg/dL of glucose, less than 1.7% at 215 to 265 mg/dL, and less than 2.6% at 370 to 470 mg/dL. Improper coding resulted in erroneous measurements on the SureStepFlexx. Each meter was compared with the Dade RxL hexokinase plasma reference method, giving the following correlation equations: StatStrip = 1.015 (hexokinase) j 1.412 (r 2 = 0.996); SureStepFlexx = 0.889 (hexokinase) + 8.865 (r 2 = 0.989). At [glucose] of 55 mg/dL, ascorbic acid interfered with the SureStepFlexx but did not affect StatStrip. Hematocrit also affected the correlation of whole blood glucose on the SureStepFlexx to the plasma hexokinase reference glucose but did not affect the StatStrip meter. Conclusions: These studies suggest that the new StatStrip meter may be more accurate and precise (elimination of hematocrit effect and electrochemical interferences with no error because of strip dosing or calibration) than the SureStepFlexx meter. This reduction in total error may help achieve better glycemic control in hospitalized patients