Freestyle Lite Strips in AlphaTrak - Info from Abbott in 2010

[Ladybug]

Well, I may have opened a can of worms, but I sent an email to Abbott...

I currently use the AlphaTrak Glucose Meter for my diabetic dog. I have read on various canine diabetes forums that the Freestyle Lite Test Strips work with the AlphaTrak. I got a sample of the Freestyle Lite strips in the mail and they do work. What is the difference between the AlphaTrak strips and the Freestyle Lite strips? Thank you.

Here was the reply from Abbott...

Linda,
You may be able to get FreeStyle - and other meter strips - to give you readings but the AlphaTRAK is not calibrated for those strips so accuracy is in question. With every production run of strips, we run calibration evaluations to identify which code will provide the best results for that lot of strips. These codes are then noted on the strip vial. With human strips, there are no such trials or codes.

Dale R Evans, DVM
Manager Technical Support Services Abbott Animal Health
624 Clark Road
Bellingham, WA 98225 Office 360-715-0682
Cellular 360-280-2351
Voice mail 866-464-4249 X 555-9102
FAX 360-715-8694

I have done quite a few side-by-side tests and I do find that when using the Freestyle Lite test strips, the results are 30-40 points higher than when using the AlphaTrak test strips. But then, maybe the AlphaTrak reads low.

Linda

[k9diabetes]

bumping date on this.

[CraigM]

I think the using of FreeStyle Lite strips in the AlphaTrak meter is a little more complicated today than back in 2010.

Back in 2010 we were using the original grey colored AlphaTrak (not the pink AlphaTrak-2). Both the AlphaTrak and FreeStyle Lite test strips were different than the current strips. Back then, every? container of AlphaTrak strips were code-7 (at least every container I ever bought) and I could substitute a FreeStyle Lite strip using code-7 and get good results.

Skip ahead a couple of years and the pink AlphaTrak-2, and AlphaTrak-2 test strips were released. I think I've seen at least 5 different code numbers on the AlphaTrak-2 strip container. Since there appears some differences between batches of AlphaTrak-2 strips, I'm guessing we really shouldn't just use a direct replacement with a FreeStyle Lite strip. I don't use FreeStyle Lite strips any longer, but if I did, I'd compare every new box against true AlphaTrak-2 strips.

Just my thoughts

Craig

[k9diabetes]

Do the AlphaTrak strips still look identical to strips from one of the human-coded meters?

With some testing (Craig... ), various codes could be checked to see how much the readings differ based on the codes - if the strips remain identical.

[CraigM]

Originally Posted by k9diabetes

Do the AlphaTrak strips still look identical to strips from one of the human-coded meters?

With some testing (Craig... ), various codes could be checked to see how much the readings differ based on the codes - if the strips remain identical.

Yes, the current AlphaTrak-2 and FreeStyle Lite test strips look identical, and the FreeStyle Lite strips will turn on the AlphaTrak-2 meter when inserted.

It's been a year or longer since I've done anything with FreeStyle Lite strips. I don't recall any testing where I could use a FreeStyle Lite strip simply by using the same code number an AlphaTrak-2 strip container called for. Actually, setting the AlphaTrak-2 meter to code 6, or code 5, seemed to work well when using FreeStyle Lite strips, but I'd still want to compare against true AlphaTrak test strips (AlphaTrak meter set to code on the AlphaTrak strip container when using AlphaTrak strips, or set to either 6 or 5 when using FreeStyle Lite strips).

Another interesting (but useless) point. If I recall correctly, the FreeStyle Lite container lists a code-11, BUT the FreeStyle meters are auto coding with no way to actually change the code. Then you look at the AlphaTrak-2 meter and there isn't a code-11 offered (skips from 10 to 12). Again, it's been a while since I've played with the AlphaTrak-2 with anything other than true AlphaTrak-2 test strips.

I like the PetTest system. However I've noticed the cost of PetTest test strips has gone up in the past month or two They had been around $19, now around $25.

Craig

[k9diabetes]

Too bad about the price increase. They will need to stay less than AlphaTrak to have an advantage.