Glucometer: whole blood v plasma equivalent

Status
Not open for further replies.
Vyktors Mum

Vyktors Mum

Very Active Member
Does anyone know why the difference might be relevant? A German based tight regulation lantus protocol I downloaded from somewhere specifies to use a whole blood meter rather than a plasma equivalent but I haven't seen anything about one v the other on the FDMB.

Of course the new meter I just bought (to replace the untrustable freestyle lite I only bought a month ago) is a plasma equivalent. I'm hoping I don't have to go and buy another one!
 
Hi, Vyktors Mum ~

You've asked a good question.

Is this what you're referring to?

"NB. The blood glucose values were based on using portable glucose meters (Ascensia Contour, Bayer,
Leverkusen, Germany; Accu-Chek Aviva, Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland) which use ≤0.6 μL of
blood per test. These meters measure blood glucose concentration in whole blood and are calibrated for
use with human blood. Measurements from meters calibrated for human blood which provide plasmaequivalent
values are approximately 10% higher.NB."

Plasma-calibrated meters are fine. In fact, most of us use plasma-calibrated meters. I'm not sure, but the Contour
and Accu-Chek Aviva might even be plasma-calibrated now? Maybe someone who uses those meters
would know. That 10% difference mentioned is not significant for tight regulation.

My suggestion would be for you to take your new meter with you to your next vet appointment when your
kitty is having blood work done. Do an ear poke test right at the time of the vet's blood draw. You can then
compare your meter reading to the lab bg results. That's a good way to know how well your meter's working.

Take care,
Eva
 
Here is a very good explanation of how meters work and why animal blood reads a little lower on human meters (from the previous FDMB)

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1840808,1840808#msg-1840808

Not sure it answers your question though. I have always been of the opinion that as long as you are using the same meter consistently, the numbers mean what they mean for your cat based on symptoms. I only ever saw 1 hypoglycemic type behavior from Gandalf, which was hunger, when he got in the 30s on my Accu-Check Aviva, usually it would read 35 or lower when he did that. While I'm not saying to experiment with your cat and your meter to see what is really low for them, I felt the meter was fairly accurate at low numbers, which is what's really important.
 
Did you mean to reference a BG spreadsheet? It really does not provide "very good explanation of how meters work and why animal blood reads a little lower on human meters (from the previous FDMB)"

Vicky & Gandalf (GA) said:
Here is a very good explanation of how meters work and why animal blood reads a little lower on human meters (from the previous FDMB)

https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key.......

Not sure it answers your question though. I have always been of the opinion that as long as you are using the same meter consistently, the numbers mean what they mean for your cat based on symptoms. I only ever saw 1 hypoglycemic type behavior from Gandalf, which was hunger, when he got in the 30s on my Accu-Check Aviva, usually it would read 35 or lower when he did that. While I'm not saying to experiment with your cat and your meter to see what is really low for them, I felt the meter was fairly accurate at low numbers, which is what's really important.
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top