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Oxygen levels show varying effects on test results of SMBG
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In the self-monitoring of blood glucose for patients with diabetes, the extent of partial pressure of oxygen’s influence on blood glucose measurements appears to differ among glucose oxidase systems, according to recent findings.
In the study, researchers obtained blood samples from 16 participants, selected regardless of diabetes status or diabetes type. The study population consisted of eight women and eight men (mean age, 52 years). Three of the patients had type 1 diabetes, four had type 2 diabetes and nine did not have diabetes.
The blood samples were analyzed using five electrochemical glucose oxidase systems and one electrochemical glucose dehydrogenase system. The blood samples were modified to various different partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) levels to analyze the effect of different pO2 levels on blood glucose test results. Portions of each sample were modified to three pO2 levels: ≤45mm Hg, roughly 70
mm Hg and ≥150
mmHg. Each system was used to take five successive measurements on each sample, using the same test strip lot.
The pO2 of the blood samples was ascertained immediately before and after measurement with the SMBG systems to ensure blood glucose consistency in the samples.
Descriptive statistics were utilized to evaluate the effects of pO2 levels on systems’ measurement results. The investigators calculated the relative differences between the mean blood glucose levels at a pO2 value of roughly 70 mm Hg, which was considered comparable to pO2 levels in capillary blood samples. Mean blood glucose levels for the other pO2 level categories also were calculated.
The researchers found that the glucose oxidase systems demonstrated mean relative variations between 11.8% and 44.5% at pO2 values ≤45mm Hg and between –14.6% and –21.2% at pO2 values ≥150
mm Hg. The glucose dehydrogenase system showed a mean relative difference of –0.3% at pO2 levels ≤45
mm Hg and –0.2% at pO2 levels ≥150
mm Hg.
According to the researchers, these discrepancies in oxygen-sensitive glucose oxidase systems, particularly at decreased pO2 levels, may warrant updates in consumer transparency.
“To ensure an adequate use of oxygen-sensitive systems in daily life conditions of patients with diabetes, the pO2 range in which the systems operate well should be investigated further, and should be provided in the product information,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosure: All of the researchers are employees of the Institute for Diabetes Technology Research and Development at Ulm University in Germany. One of the researchers is general manager of the Institute for Diabetes Technology, which carries out studies evaluating blood glucose meters and medical devices for diabetes therapy on behalf of various companies, and has received speakers’ honoraria or consulting fees from Abbott, Bayer, Menarini Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi and Ypsomed.
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