Evaluation of an electrochemical sensor for measuring blood ketones

OBJECTIVE - To evaluate the performance of a hand-held ketone sensor that is able to measure blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (beta-HBA) concentrations within 30 s in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and patients who attend a weight management clinic. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Two groups of patients were studied: 19 patients admitted with DKA and 156 patients attending a weight management clinic. Paired capillary and venous whole blood samples were measured using the ketone sensor and also using an enzymatic laboratory reference method. RESULTS - The ketone sensor accurately measured beta-HBA concentrations in patients with DKA (limits of agreement -0.9 to +1.0 mmol/l) or starvation-induced ketonemia (limits of agreement -0.5 to +0.5 mmol/l). CONCLUSIONS - This ketone sensor accurately measures whole blood beta-HBA concentrations within 30 s.