ISO‐Based Assessment of Accuracy and Precision of Glucose Meters in Dogs

BACKGROUND: Portable blood glucose meters (PBGMs) allow easy glucose measurements. As animal‐specific PBGMs are not available everywhere, those for humans are widely used. OBJECTIVES: To assess the accuracy and precision of 9 PBGMs in canine whole blood (WB) and plasma, based on the ISO 15197:2013. ANIMALS: Fifty‐nine client‐owned dogs attending the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. METHODS: Analytical evaluation of 100 blood samples was performed for accuracy and 23 for precision (glucose 29–579 mg/dL) following ISO recommendations. A PBGM was considered accurate if 95% of the measurements were within ±15 mg/dL from the reference when glucose was <100 mg/dL and within ±15% when it was ≥100 mg/dL, and if 99% of them were within zones A and B in error grid analysis (EG). A hexokinase‐based analyzer was used as reference. Ninety samples were assessed for hematocrit interferences. RESULTS: Accuracy requirements were not fulfilled by any PBGM in WB (74% of measurements within the limits for the most accurate) and by 1 only in plasma. However, the EG analysis in WB was passed by 6 PBGM and by all in plasma. The most accurate were also the most precise, with coefficients of variation <5% in WB and <3% in plasma. Hematocrit correlated with bias against the reference method in 4 PBGM (r = −0.243 − [−0.371]; P < .021). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: This disparity among PBGM suggests that meters approved for humans need to be evaluated before use in other species.