Hyperlipidemia Influences the Accuracy of Glucometer-Measured Blood Glucose Concentrations in Genetically Diverse Mice

Am J Med Sci. 2021 Sep;362(3):297-302. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2021.06.014. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

Abstract

Background: Glucometers are widely used in animal research due to simplicity and ease of utilization, but their accuracy in blood glucose assessment for hyperlipidemic mice is unknown.

Methods: Here, we compared blood glucose levels measured by a glucometer with plasma glucose levels measured by a standard enzymatic assay for 325 genetically diverse F2 mice derived from LP and BALB/c (BALB) Apoe-/- mice. Non-fasting glucose levels were measured before initiation of a Western diet and after 11 weeks on the diet.

Results: On chow diet, lab-measured plasma glucose levels were 279.5 ± 42.6 mg/dl (mean ± SD), while blood glucose values measured by glucometer were 138.7 ± 16.6 mg/dl. The two measures had no correlation (R2 = 0.006, p = 0.167). On the Western diet, plasma glucose levels rose to 351.1 ± 121.6 mg/dl, while glucometer-measured blood glucose fell to 128.7 ± 27.9 mg/dl. The two measures showed a moderate correlation (R2 = 0.111, p = 3.1E-9). Lab-measured plasma glucose showed strong positive correlations with plasma triglyceride and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, while glucometer-measured blood glucose showed an inverse correlation with non-high-density lipoprotein levels on the chow diet.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that hyperlipidemia affects the accuracy of glucometers in measuring blood glucose levels of mice.

Keywords: Blood Glucose; Diabetes; Glucometer; Hyperlipidemia; Mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Chemical Analysis / standards*
  • Blood Glucose / genetics*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation / physiology*
  • Hyperlipidemias / blood*
  • Hyperlipidemias / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout

Substances

  • Blood Glucose