Use of point-of-care glucose meters in the intensive care units

The recent renewed interest in glycemic control has led to a considerable increase in the use of glucose readers, including point-of-care devices. These readers, designed for an out-of-hospital use in diabetic patients, have been introduced in hospitals without adaptation to the specific conditions of intensive care. Because of the numerous possible drug-related and physico-chemical interferences, the accuracy of these readers is not sufficient for strict glycemic control, especially when blood samples are drawn from the fingertip. This review aims to summarize the inaccuracies of this technology as well as the potential room for improvement.