Patients managed in the intensive care units (ICUs) and general wards of the hospital experience a high incidence of
hyperglycemia,
hypoglycemia, and glycemic variability, despite significant hospital resources devoted to
glucose control. Optimized
glucose meters and monitoring systems are required to improve the safety and efficacy of
insulin delivery and
glucose control in the hospital. Safe
insulin dosing requires timely and accurate
glucose measurements, especially during dynamic changes in nutrition,
insulin sensitivity, and physiological stress. In the current issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Mitsios and coauthors describe the analytical accuracy of the new Accu-Check® Inform II
blood glucose (BG) monitoring system commercialized by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. The point-of-care
glucose meter achieved the desired degree of accuracy and precision, as defined by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute POCT12-A3 guidelines when evaluated using venous blood from 600
critically ill patients from multiple ICUs at two medical centers. Venous whole blood samples were used to obtain
glucose meter results in duplicate. The remaining blood sample was centrifuged to obtain plasma for central hospital laboratory testing using the
hexokinase method within 5 min of meter testing. A total of 98.8% of the 1200 Accu-Check Inform II meter's
glucose values were within ± 12.5% (± 12 mg/dl) of the mean laboratory
glucose value, and 99.8% were within ± 20% (± 20 mg/dl), thus meeting the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria. Future studies are required to evaluate the clinical performance of the new BG monitoring system in the intended-use patient populations and
critical care environments, using arterial, peripheral venous, central venous, and capillary blood samples.