Chemstrip glucose test strips: correlation with true glucose values less than 80 mg/dl

Estimations of blood glucose in the range 0-80 mg/dl were performed using the Chemstrip bG and StatTek Glucose Low Level test strips. Estimations of glucose levels closely approximated values obtained by a quantitative, enzymatic reference method; both appear to be excellent screening tests for hypoglycemia. There were no false-negatives, the tests were 100% sensitive and predicted the absence of hypoglycemia, as defined by a plasma glucose value of less than 30 mg/dl, in every case. Therefore, significant hypoglycemia should not be missed. Both give some false positives; in the usual neonatal intensive care population, about 4 of 10 Chemstrip readings of less than 40 mg/dl would lead to an unnecessary blood glucose determination, an acceptable rate for this type of test. The Chemstrip bG technique, a simple and useful test, should be valuable for blood glucose screening in the nursery.