How to prescribe Freestyle Lite (glucose) test in vitro strip for blood glucose monitoring?

From the Guidelines

To prescribe FreeStyle Lite test strips, write a prescription that includes the patient's full name, date of birth, and the specific product "FreeStyle Lite Blood Glucose Test Strips" for in vitro diagnostic use, considering the patient's individual needs and insurance coverage. When determining the frequency of testing, healthcare providers should consider the patient's intensive insulin regimen and encourage them to assess glucose levels using SMBG prior to meals and snacks, at bedtime, occasionally postprandially, prior to exercise, when they suspect low blood glucose, after treating low blood glucose until they are normoglycemic, and prior to and while performing critical tasks such as driving, as suggested by the standards of medical care in diabetes-2020 1.

The quantity of strips needed should be based on the patient's testing frequency, which can range from 4-10 times daily, depending on their individual needs and the complexity of their insulin regimen, with the goal of achieving safe glycemic targets and preventing hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia 1. It is essential to ensure that patients receive ongoing instruction and regular evaluation of technique, results, and their ability to use data from self-monitoring of blood glucose to adjust therapy, as this can help reduce A1C levels and improve overall diabetes management 1.

Key considerations when prescribing FreeStyle Lite test strips include:

• The patient's full name and date of birth
• The specific product "FreeStyle Lite Blood Glucose Test Strips" for in vitro diagnostic use
• The quantity needed, typically 50,100, or 200 strips per box
• The frequency of testing, e.g., "Test blood glucose 4 times daily"
• Refills as appropriate based on the patient's testing frequency and insurance coverage
• Verification of the patient's insurance coverage to minimize out-of-pocket costs
• Ongoing instruction and regular evaluation of the patient's technique and ability to use SMBG data to adjust therapy.

From the Research

Prescribing Freestyle Lite Test In Vitro Strip

• The Freestyle Lite test is a type of in vitro diagnostic test used for measuring blood glucose levels.
• To prescribe this test, healthcare professionals should consider the clinical performance of the test, including its sensitivity and specificity 2.
• The test should be evaluated for its intended purpose, such as diagnosis, screening, or monitoring of diabetes 2.
• The target condition for the test should be clearly defined, and the test should be able to provide clinically meaningful classification of disease 2.

Clinical Performance Measures

• Measures of classification performance, such as sensitivity and specificity, are essential for evaluating the clinical performance of the Freestyle Lite test 2.
• These measures can help healthcare professionals determine whether the test is fit-for-purpose and can provide accurate results for diagnosing or monitoring diabetes.
• Other clinical performance measures, such as positive and negative predictive values, can also be useful in evaluating the test's performance 2.

Study Design and Research Objective

• When evaluating the clinical performance of the Freestyle Lite test, a well-designed study with a clear research objective is essential 2.
• The study design should include a clear definition of the target condition, clinical performance measures, and study design types, such as prospective or retrospective studies 2.
• Healthcare professionals can use a checklist to help identify relevant published studies and primary datasets, and to liaise with clinicians and methodologists when developing a study plan for evaluating clinical performance 2.

Relevant Studies

• While there are no direct studies on the Freestyle Lite test, other studies have evaluated the clinical performance of similar in vitro diagnostic tests for diabetes management 3, 4, 5, 6.
• These studies have shown that continuous glucose monitoring and point-of-care testing can be effective for managing diabetes in various populations 3, 5.
• However, the clinical performance of these tests can vary depending on the population, study design, and research objective 4, 6.