Evaluation of the APEC analyzer for whole blood glucose. Testing in a pediatric setting

The APEC glucose analyzer (APEC, Danvers, MA) was analyzed in a pediatric clinical chemistry laboratory and its performance was compared with glucose determinations on the YSI 2300 STAT analyzer (Yellow Springs Instrument [YSI], Yellow Springs, OH). One hundred sixty-nine samples were simultaneously analyzed by the APEC and the YSI systems. The agreement between the two analyzers was excellent, with r = 0.986, slope = 1.04, and y intercept = -0.094. Analysis of the run-to-run precision yielded a CV of < or = 4.1% for both the APEC and the YSI instruments. Both analyzers displayed a sensitivity to at least 1.1 mmol/L (20 mg/dL) and both produced a linear response up to 27.8 mmol/L (500 mg/dL). Neither instrument was affected by icteric or hemolyzed samples. Variations in the patient's hematocrit did not lower the whole blood glucose values when these were compared with the equivalent plasma levels. In conclusion, the APEC glucose analyzer is suited for whole blood glucose testing in pediatric settings.