Recently I bought a new glucometer with higher accuracy. As per the manual, it's neither reliable for diagnostic purpose nor for screening purpose. The glucometer is only useful to know whether current treatment protocol is working or not. According to seniors, it gives 5% to 20% higher glucose reading than a venous sample, depending upon the accuracy of machine used. When I measured the 12 hours fasting BSL of a patient (who is diabetic since >10 yrs), it was 292 mg%. But 1 day before it was 150 mg% in the lab.
Also, he had taken Insulin, cut down the sugar a day before the glucometer reading. Patient insisted on taking another reading, two minutes after the first one, using another finger of the same hand. To our surprise, the reading was 232 mg%. Please share opinion and advice regarding whether to rely on glucometer readings or not?
