Background Point-of-care glucose meters are an important tool in assessing blood glucose levels and managing insulin dosage of diabetic patients. Glucose meters have been designed to operate in temperature-controlled environments, such as hospitals, and can be unsuitable for use in extreme conditions found in an ambulatory setting. A thermo-modulating container was developed to prevent glucose meter low-temperature errors. Methods The device was designed to maintain the operating temperature of a professional model glucose meter within the range specified by the manufacturer (15°C–40°C). The container consisted of a hard outer shell with insulation, thermostat, and heating elements. The glucose meter was placed inside the container and subjected to environmental temperatures ranging from −15°C to 15°C. Results When used in passive configuration at an environmental temperature of 10°C, the container extended the operating time of the glucose meter from 1 hour to 7 hours before receiving a temperature error. When used in the active configuration at the same temperature, the container extended the operating time to 24 hours. This sequence of tests was repeated at an extreme temperature condition (−15°C), with the container extending device operation from under 10 minutes to 38 and 251 minutes using passive and active modes, respectively. Conclusions The device provides significant protection against glucose meter low-temperature errors. As a result, the container may be applied for transportation and storage of glucose meters in a cold weather ambulatory setting.
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Rust et al. (2012) studied this question.