Use of radar plots to compare the analytical performance of five blood glucose monitoring systems

摘要

Aim: The radar plot is a relatively new way of communicating blood glucose monitoring system (BGMS) accuracy and precision: data points positioned within concentric circles represent the magnitude (increasing with distance from center) and direction (relative to horizontal) of BGMS-error (center = equivalency with reference instrument measurement). This manuscript aims to demonstrate the utility of radar plots as visual tools for interpretation of BGMS analytical performance. Results & methodology: Radar plots were constructed for five BGMSs, to compare BGMS blood glucose results with reference instrument measurements. Conclusion: Radar plots are a useful tool for the visualization of BGMS analytical performance, communicating accuracy, precision and the satisfaction of certain regulatory criteria at a glance. Accuracy is an important aspect of blood glucose monitoring system (BGMS) analytical performance and regulatory bodies set standard requirements for acceptable BGMS performance (e.g., the International Organization for Standardization [ISO] [i]). Numerous methods may be used to visually represent BGMS analytical performance data. These include regression plots [2] and modified Bland-Altman plots [3], which are used to represent analytical errors using a Cartesian coordinate system. Other methods, such as the Clarke [4], Parkes [5], or surveillance [6] error grids are used to represent the potential clinical impact associated with BGMS measurement errors.