Recognition of impending ketoacidosis delayed by ketone reagent strip failure
A. L. Rosenbloom and J. I. Malone
During a one-year period, six patients were admitted to the hospital in
diabetic ketoacidosis following 12 to 24 hours of illness at home. Urine
testing with strips impregnated with sodium nitroprusside had indicated
that no ketone bodies were present. Nine of 11 bottles of reagent strips in
use for less than three months by these and other patients contained
totally unreactive strips. Nitroprusside tablets exposed more than three
months continued to give accurate readings.
