The FDA has advised health care practitioners and patients against using certain glucose monitoring technology, that employs a specific test strip when the patients are also receiving therapeutic products containing non-glucose sugars.
Non-glucose sugars contained in some therapeutic products such as peritoneal dialysis solutions and certain immunoglobulins can falsely elevate glucose results, which may prompt excessive insulin administration. These therapeutic products, which are labeled to indicate that they may interfere with the particular glucose monitoring technology, are mostly used in patients with serious medical conditions, including kidney failure and moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.
In a Public Health Notification and an accompanying Advice for Patients, the FDA listed the manufacturers and brands of glucose test strips that contain glucose dehydrogenase pyrroloquinoline quinone (GDH-PQQ). Its a chemical that reacts with the non-glucose sugars (maltose, galactose and xylose) contained in some therapeutic products that produce a falsely high test result.
The FDA also recommended to minimize the risk of potential shortages of these products until health care facilities can obtain non-GDH-PQQ strips and meters.