Comparison of Sugarchek glucometer to One Touch Ultra
Sonali Seth, MPH and Santosh Gupta, MD, MRCP, FAAP Washington University School of Medicine, visiting consultant endocrinologist at Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Haridwar, India
In an attempt to make diabetes care more affordable for patients at RKM, we undertook a comparison of the Indian-made glucometer, Sugarchek, with American-made One Touch Ultra. In addition to test strips for the Sugarchek monitor costing half the price of the One Touch Ultra strips, we wanted to test the local product against a known brand, as local products have advantages in servicing.
We collected samples from 24 patients – 17 males, 7 females. The range of blood glucose was 77-Hi for One Touch Ultra and 99-Hi for Sugarchek. The blood glucose was measured from the same finger-stick sample, eliminating time as a factor in difference in blood glucose measurement. We found overall that the Sugarchek read with close accuracy to the One Touch Ultra.
In conclusion, Sugarchek compares well with One Touch Ultra. It has a built in ketone alert which is an added advantage. The lower cost makes it more affordable in the Indian market.
