Self-monitoring of blood glucose levels requires intensive training for use of meters to obtain reliable and clinically relevant measurements.

Background: Anecdotal reports from pediatric sites have indicated that some blood glucose meters may display wrong and misleading numbers rather than error indications, when operated in deviation from the instructions for use (IFU), eg by manipulating the strip during the count-down phase.

Methods: This study was performed with 60 patients with diabetes (32 female, 28 male, 21 type 1, 39 type 2, age (mean+/-SD): 56+/-11 years) who measured their blood glucose levels twice with five different blood glucose meters (Precision(R) Xceed [Abbott Medisense], Freestyle Mini [Abbott Medisense], Accu-Chek Comfort [Roche Diagnostics], Accu-Chek Aviva [Roche Diagnostics], and Ascensia Contour [Bayer Vital]). The first measurement was performed in accordance with the IFU, and the second by manipulating the test strip using a standardised inflexion/release procedure during the count-down phase.