What is this maltose issue I have heard about regarding blood glucose meters?
A. The FDA has just distributed a Public Health Notification to healthcare professionals that says blood glucose monitoring systems that use GDH-PQQ test strips should not be used by patients who take certain specialized therapeutic agents. Those therapeutic agents contain certain non-glucose sugars or metabolize to non-glucose sugars, particularly maltose. Q2. Who does this affect? A. This affects people with diabetes who are on peritoneal dialysis who use the solution Extraneal, a Baxter product, or people with diabetes who take or are administered Octagam 5%, WinRho SDF Liquid, HepaGam B, Bexxar, Adept adhesion reduction solution, or Orencia (these drugs are approved for use in the U.S.) All of these medications are administered either intravenously or through peritoneal catheter for serious medical conditions, oftentimes in a hospital setting. Q3. What happens? A. This combination could cause falsely elevated blood glucose readings, which could result in inappropriate dosing or adm
