Accuracy of blood glucose self monitoring in elderly insulin treated diabetic patients.

We investigated the accuracy of blood glucose self monitoring in 131 patients (mean +/- SD age 65 +/- 7 years, duration of diabetes 11 +/- 6 years) who participated in a 5-day inpatient group treatment and teaching programme especially designed for elderly insulin-treated patients. Patients' estimations and laboratory blood glucose measurements were compared on day 1 (after theoretical and practical introduction into blood glucose self monitoring) and on day 4 of the programme. Patients were trained in the visual reading of Haemoglukotest 20-800R; blood glucose meters were recommended only exceptionally. Error grid analysis showed a high accuracy of visually assessed blood glucose values, both on day 1 (94% of measurements in zone A, 5% in zone B) and on day 4 (95% in zone A, 4% in zone B). Patients with no prior experience in blood glucose self monitoring (n = 67) showed a significant improvement (p less than 0.02) in accuracy from day 1 to day 4. Values determined by blood glucose meters were less accurate, although this trend did not reach statistical significance. A second group of 94 consecutive patients was reexamined 5 years after participation in the treatment and teaching programme. 55 patients were still alive and 42 could be evaluated. Accuracy of blood glucose estimations was assessed in all 26 patients practising blood glucose self monitoring (age 69 +/- 5 years, diabetes duration 18 +/- 8 years), either at their homes (n = 23) or at our diabetes outpatient clinic (n = 3). Error grid analysis showed a high accuracy by visual reading (n = 21, 95% zone A, 5% zone B).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)