Nova glucose QC trending below mean

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Is anyone using these controls and noticing a trend below mean for both levels of QC?

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I am using Nova controls and do notice the trend of QC is below the mean. Has anyone spoken to Nova about this?


 

We are using Nova controls and notice the same thing. We established our own mean after talking to our medical director. We haven't talked to Nova about it. With our last meter and controls, we were always trending lower than the manufacturer's mean and we established our own mean.

I think that this is a "pre-analytical" issue. No matter how often I mention to mix the controls (at least 10 times without shaking), people will still just pick up the vial and run it. We were warned by our Nova trainer when we first bought the meters that the sugar solution will settle in the bottle. It is vital that they get mixed. Eventually they will become too concentrated and you will then seen a shift upward.

We too noticed the QC trending below the mean.  I don't remember anyone telling us about mixing the QC vials.  I just assume that the nurses do that, but maybe not, if that was not stressed.


On another note, is anyone using a different slope and intercept to correct for low patient results, especially in NICU?

We do not use Nova, but I did want to mention that our HemoCue controls are running below the mean. As mentioned this could likely be a preanalytical  issue, but best to keep a close eye on it to see if it is something bigger (i.e. change in one of the control components).

Hello all,


We consistently run below the mean especially on Level 3.  285 - 290 for the last 4 years!  Level 1 usually runs 57 - 59 also below the mean but not as dramatic as Level 3.  When I pull monthly L-J charts for each meter I compare it to the historical strip lot/control lot mean, SD, range and %CV.  As long as the QC runs within the stated %CV listed my manufacturer and the deltas between historic and meter are +/- 5 level 1 and +/- 10 for level 3 we consider it okay.


The previous POCC tried establishing in-house ranges and had to adjust with every change of QC and or strips. She gave up and went with manufacturers CV and Deltas.


Of NOTE:  on WBQX CAP we also run a bit higher than the mean! 


I believe it's the QC material.  We order new strip lots each quarter but the same lot for a year.


Just easier that way.

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Zain Alarakhia
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