In vitro drug interferences with blood glucose monitoring system determinations

Monitoring of blood glucose levels in ambulatory diabetic patients is becoming the standard of practice. The in vitro effects of acetaminophen and salicylic acid on Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems were evaluated over a diabetic range of glucose levels. Donor blood was pooled and divided into test quantities used to spike to glucose concentrations of fasting, 100, 200 and 300mg/dL. The samples were divided again and spiked with either a drug solution or normal saline. Glucose levels were performed in replicate 5 times on the Chemstrip bGR/Accu-Chek II Glucostix/Glucometer II and Glucoscan Test Strips/Glucoscan 3000R. Pilot studies demonstrated that the meter systems were precise. Drug interference studies showed no significant interference by acetaminophen when evaluating the drug and non-drug difference. There was a statistically but not clinically significant interference by salicylic acid at the fasting glucose level and at lOOmg/dL with the GlucostixlVGlucometer II.