Coding, or calibrating, is the process by which a blood glucose meter is matched with the reactivity of the Test Strips. To ensure the accuracy of blood glucose test results using some blood glucose meters, the Meter first needs be coded (or calibrated), usually by inserting a Code Strip or entering a Code Number into the Meter. This "coding" needs to be done every time new test strips are used, such as when a new box of Test Strips is purchased.

 

The accuracy of blood glucose meters was recently evaluated in a clinical study that compared certain properly and improperly coded meters. This study found that blood glucose test results could be adversely affected by improper coding. The inaccuracies with the meters tested were found to be as high as 43%*.

To put this in real life terms, if your blood sugar was 180 mg/dL with a properly coded meter, your test result could be 257 mmol/L if it were coded incorrectly.

To further illustrate the importance of coding see the table below:

Correctly coded results	Incorrectly coded results
110 mg/dL	157 mg/dL
180 mg/dL	257 mg/dL
240 mg/dL	342 mg/dL
300 mg/dL	430 mg/dL

Therefore, if you are using a meter that requires coding, it's important that you make sure the meter is coded properly every time you buy a new box of test strips.

* Data on file, 2003 Bayer HealthCare.

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To avoid error, patients should be instructed to correctly code their meters, or be advised to use a No Coding meter.