REVIEW: Ascensia’s New CONTOUR NEXT ONE Bluetooth Glucose Meter

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When I first heard of Ascensia’s new CONTOUR NEXT ONE Bluetooth glucose meter, I was ecstatic! I have loved the Contour line for several years now due to it’s amazing accuracy. We were contacted last year when it received the CE Mark of approval, and we recently shared the news of it’s approval here in the US.

Ascensia offered to send us a meter to review, and I gladly accepted. It came with the meter, 100 test strips, a brand-new Microlet Next lancet device, and enough lancets to last a lifetime! (Okay, not a lifetime, but 100 to match the 100 strips.) They also sent along some brochures and a quick-start sheet to help guide me along with setting up the meter and app.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

The CONTOUR NEXT ONE Meter

First, this CONTOUR NEXT ONE meter is Ascensia’s upgrade to the Contour Next USB meter, which they’ve now discontinued as of December 31st.

Next, it uses the same strips as the USB and Medtronic USB models, so you don’t have to get a new prescription to use it.

There’s also now a 60-second re-application window instead of 30-seconds like before. What this means is that if you apply a sample that’s too small, you now have a full minute to re-poke and apply more blood to the strip to get a test, in hopes that you won’t have to waste a strip!

They’ve now taken away the USB connector (meaning you cannot plug it in directly to the computer), and have replaced it with a micro-USB port. Since this meter runs on batteries, there’s no need for charging, so the need to connect it may not be as often, if ever (unless you use another diabetes data software other than the new Contour app).

They’ve also upgraded (and downgraded?) the screen from the color OLED to the basic black-and-white LED with segments and icons. No longer do the numbers show in color, but rather the glucose triggers a light on the end of the meter to change color based on your glucose reading, (called smartLIGHT Technology) whether your glucose numbers are high (yellow), low (red), or just right (green).

Due to the way the meter illuminates the numbers in white, it still appears to be backlit (thank goodness!), and they kept the feature of double-tapping on the wake/power button to activate the port-light, which is also brighter and white rather than it’s predecessors orange “glow,” making for easier testing in the dark.

It’s also thinner, but this is also due to now having the micro USB port instead of a USB end. (Also, less risk of losing that end cap!) It also now features just three buttons, instead of 4, with the middle button now acting as both the select and wake button.

Also, the memory is now just 800 tests verses 2000, so if you upload to a computer, you might want to do this monthly if you are one to use roughly 10 or so strips per day.

The accuracy of the meter is “substantially equivalent” to that of the Contour Next USB, which I’m very happy about since it’s been cited to help users have lower rates of insulin dosing errors1.

And, of course, the main feature, being that it has Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) to allow it to connect to smart devices wirelessly.

The CONTOUR NEXT ONE + CONTOUR™ DIABETES App Integration

Once connected to the new CONTOUR™ DIABETES app, your personal preferences are synced to the meter, along with the time and date.

You can set up timeframes, or Day Dividers, for your mealtimes, and the meter will remember them. So, for instance, if you’re testing your glucose at 11:30 am, and your lunch mealtime is set for the hours of 11 am – 2 pm, the first reading of this timeframe will automatically mark as “before meal” on the meter, and will sync to the app as before lunch. Now that’s smart! Of course, this can be changed. Just tap the up or down arrows on the meter to change it, or change it directly in the app.

You also set your target ranges through the app for the meter, and synced to the meter during set up (and after any changes are made). This allows you to set your critically low, low, in range, high, and critically high levels. This also sets the app up to know when to alert your emergency contacts if you are within the critical ranges.

Also, you have the ability to connect more than one meter if you are someone who keeps them stashed everywhere (like myself), and you can even name them in the app if you wish (bedside, kitchen, and purse, for instance).

The CONTOUR DIABETES App

The Contour Diabetes app itself is a HUGE game changer for me. It is very simple and intuitive to use. Once the meter is paired, you will get notifications each time you test your glucose. From here, you can tap on the notification, and add any other information (such as carbs or medication).

One caveat, though: the carbs (if not entered manually) can only be chosen in 5g increments. When I asked about this, Ascensia said that “there is no specific reason for the total carbs being in increments of 5 and it is just how the app was designed.” Not sure I agree with their reasoning for this, but I’m sure they must have had a good reason.

On the home screen, the My Readings screen, you’ll get a 3-day overview graph of your readings, as well as your last reading, and a graph to show how your week is going. Scrolling up on the page, you can then see your averages over the last 7, 14, 30, and 90 days. This is a great improvement over looking through the meter.

You can also turn your phone to the side to get either a standard day view, where you can see the breakdown for each day individually, or an average view for the last 3, 7, 14, or 30 days, for your specified time blocks. You can also select to see all of your readings, or just the ones marked fasting, before meal, or after meal.

The user can set customized alerts to check throughout the day, or they can participate in what they call “Smart Testing”. There are two that are specifically for upcoming healthcare visits: one for those on insulin, and one for those who are not. There are more tests scheduled for those on insulin (37) versus non-insulin users (17) over the course of 7 days. This helps the user remember to test so that they have enough data for the doctor to look at.

Are you going through diabetes burnout? There’s even a Smart Testing reminder feature that sets up 10 reminders over 10 days.

You can also set custom reminders, to be set either daily, or on specific dates. There are some choices already setup (for instance, to check glucose or take medication, or make a log entry), or you can select “Other” and create your own.

However, one big drawback of it is that it does not connect to Apple Health just yet. On this note, Ascensia said:

It is not a feature that was included in the development of the first release of the CONTOUR DIABETES app, although we are continuing to review opportunities to connect the meter with other apps that are used by patients. We are certainly looking at this, but cannot give any further details about the future development of specific features.”

My only hope is that they do integrate it and soon. Many users rely on Apple Health to share that information in the background to other apps (such as OneDrop, mySugr, and some fitness apps).

The have announced, though, that they will be working with Glooko, Inc to allow import of the users’ data via the CONTOUR CLOUD. This way, the data will be in both the Glooko app and the CONTOUR DIABETES app from Ascensia. This is different from other meters that typically connect directly to the third-party app. The connection has a targeted launch of late 2017.

Another not-so-fond feature is the reports. You can only generate and send a summary-style page of your data for your doctor at this time. When asked if I could somehow print my logbook for fine-tune, in-depth analyzing, Ascensia said:

The HCP report can be exported as a PDF, sent to a physician or user, and printed. The logbook itself is kept on the phone and there is not the ability to print it. This is because the phone is designed to be the technology that the user takes with them everywhere, so that the display of their results is built into the phone. The logbook and extended graph can be share between the user and their HCP in real time using the phone and can be used as learning opportunity.

Certainly not the answer I was hoping for, but it is what it is. I’ll simply have to wait to see how it’s integration with Glooko will be later for an actual logbook. Since I am only in front of my primary-care provider 3-4 times per year, that doesn’t help me during the in-between appointment email chats, especially for us insulin-users who rely on looking at carb-to-insulin data and how our boluses impact our glucose in the hours after they’re given. I’m all for things being simple, but simple is not always best.

Now, the best feature of all I feel is the app’s ability to help you contact someone if you are in need of help if your glucose is in a critical range:

It also offers a suggestion of a half glass of juice or glucose tabs to help raise your glucose levels.

While I didn’t intend to cause a critical low, it was pretty neat to be able to use the feature, and to see how it worked during my testing period. I love that the first screen allows you to set a timer to recheck or call your emergency contact you have set in your app settings.

I was also impressed that with my second test, it recognized that it was a follow-up test, and had a note that I was “improving, but still below target,” and asked if I would like a reminder to test again in 2 hours. (Okay, I have to admit, I was a bit more in love with this meter+app now JUST for this reason!)

The Case

While they now send along an improved case that no longer only offers elastics to hold the meter in place, they still offer one with flimsy fabric. While some may like having a simple fabric meter case, I am one who likes one to have a bit more structure. I love that they have a cradle for the meter now, I just had hoped they would have followed the lead of the OneTouch Flex meter and had come with a sturdy case and possibly an all-in-one plastic insert to hold everything together.

I love that they have a cradle for the meter now, I just had hoped they would have followed the lead of the OneTouch Flex meter and had come with a sturdy case and possibly an all-in-one plastic insert to hold everything together.

The Microlet Next lancet device

While the meter itself still is packaged with the older Microlet 2 lancet device, the new Microlet Next will come with the meters starting in Summer 2017.

There is an improvement for his lancet device, in that it’s no longer an angled, flat lancet device with hard to see depth settings. It is now very similar to most devices by being pen-shaped, and features a simple pull-to-setup and button-to-fire action. It also features an updated depth settings feature that is now numbered verses icon-sized, helping the user more easily identify the depth setting.

It also has a guide button to help guide the used lancet out of the device, so that the user doesn’t have to touch the lancet while it is uncapped. They can simply push it into a sharps disposal bin.

It also uses their Microlet lancets, which are silicone coated for higher comfort.

While I have a favorite lancing device now, I actually do not mind theirs either. I’ve been using it since receiving it, and haven’t been bothered enough to go back to my old device. I’ve also set a reminder on my app to change the lancet.

Availability

Ascensia says that they are “currently releasing stock of the CONTOUR NEXT ONE meter to distribution partners across the US” and they anticipate it to be available everywhere by the end of March 2017. However, if you’d like to get one now, you can call Ascensia’s customer support directly and purchase one over the phone.

1 Performance Evaluation of Three Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Using ISO 15197: 2013 Accuracy Criteria, Consensus and Surveillance Error Grid Analyses, and Insulin Dosing Error Modeling in a Hospital Setting. Source – PubMed

Photo credit: Sarah K, Ascensia Diabetes Care

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