如何用手機應用App管理糖尿病數據

Home medical devices, as opposed to fitness products like activity-measuring wrist bands, have too often been stuck in the past, even as smartphones have zoomed ahead on hardware and software.

即便智能手機的軟硬件飛速提升，但和運動監測腕帶等健身類產品的進展相比，家庭醫療類設備卻始終停留在過去。

A prime example is the device used by diabetics, a small gadget called a glucometer that analyzes a tiny drop of blood. Diabetics usually use these several times daily to determine the levels of glucose in their blood and make decisions on diet, exercise and medication.

一個最好的例子是糖尿病患者使用的名爲“血糖儀”的小儀器。它通過一小滴血液來分析(血糖濃度)。糖尿病患者通常每天需要數次使用這個儀器，檢測他們血液中的血糖水平，以便決定飲食、鍛鍊和用藥。

Most glucometers use ancient technology that provides only a snapshot of information. And most lack wireless connections for easily transmitting readings to digital devices for more sophisticated analysis or for sharing the data with a doctor. Many diabetics still log their results using pen and paper.

大多數血糖儀都使用古老技術，只能提供一小部分信息。而且多數都沒有無線連接功能，不能便捷地將數值傳到數字設備用於更加精密的分析，或是與醫生共享數據。很多糖尿病患者還是依靠紙和筆來記錄結果。

I've been reviewing two diabetes meters that aim to change that. Both are able to instantly send results to a smartphone over a Bluetooth wireless connection. Each offers an app that collects and analyzes the readings, and gives a picture of how their users are doing over time. Both apps can also send reports from the phone to a doctor or other person.

我一直在測試兩款致力於改變這一狀況的糖尿病儀器。兩款儀器都可以通過藍牙無線連接，將結果即時傳輸到智能手機上。它們還提供了相應的應用，可以收集和分析數據，提供一段時間內用戶指標的變化情況。這兩款應用都可以從手機將報告發送給醫生或其他人。

One is the iHealth Wireless Smart Gluco-Monitoring System, and comes from a company of the same name that also makes other products that aim to provide a collection of digital sensors for health measurement. It's more of a tech company than a standard medical-device company.

其中一款叫iHealth無線智能血糖監測系統(Wireless Smart Gluco-Monitoring System)，是同名公司研發的；他們還生產其他產品，致力於提供一系列健康相關的數字化傳感設備。相比標準的醫療設備公司，他們更像是一家科技公司。

The other is the OneTouch VerioSync Meter and comes from LifeScan Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company that is a leader in the glucose-monitoring business.

另一款則是OneTouch VerioSync Meter，研發商LifeScan Inc.是血糖監測領域領先者強生公司(Johnson & Johnson)的旗下子公司。

I've been testing both products for a few days, and both work as advertised. Both are FDA approved, though they operate a bit differently, and their companion apps are different.

我測試兩款設備都有些日子了，它們功能都如廣告一致。兩款設備都得到了美國食品與藥品監督管理局(FDA)的批准，但它們使用起來有所不同，配套應用也不一樣。

The iHealth meter is available now, while the LifeScan product is set to come out early next year.

iHealth血糖儀現在已經上市，而LifeScan的產品擬於明年年初發售。

I can recommend either for diabetics who'd like to know more at a glance, and tie their most important health-tracking device into their sophisticated phones.

兩款產品我都可以推薦給糖尿病患者，給那些希望一次瞭解更多信息，並將他們最爲重要的健康監測設備與先進的手機連接起來的患者。

One caveat: These two new meters are only partial steps toward improving diabetes care. Users will still need to prick their fingers multiple times daily to get those drops of blood. And both use disposable test strips, which can cost $1 or more apiece, before insurance.

需要提醒的是：這兩款新血糖儀對改善糖尿病患者護理都只能說略有進步。用戶仍然需要每天數次刺破手指驗血。這兩款儀器都使用了一次性試紙，醫保不負擔的情況下每次成本要1美元或更多。

The VerioSync looks like a traditional meter. It's a rectangular white plastic device with a large, black inset screen that presents the glucose reading in large white type. The iHealth device is designed to look much cooler. It's a slender, curvy white device with a blank white surface on which the reading appears in fainter blue type.

VerioSync看上去像是一款傳統的血糖儀。這是一款白色長方形塑料設備，有着一塊大的黑色內嵌屏幕，以巨大的白色字體顯示血糖數據。而iHealth的外觀設計更酷，這是一款有着修長弧形外觀的白色設備，數值以較淡的藍色字體顯示在白色的表面。

LifeScan's new meter works only with Apple's iOS devices-iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches. It's expected to cost $20 at launch, and $30 thereafter. A box of 25 test strips is expected to cost $40, before insurance.

LifeScan的新血糖儀只能與蘋果(Apple)的iOS設備兼容，如iPhone、iPad以及iPod Touch。預計這款設備一開始售價20美元，以後會賣30美元。醫保不負擔的話，一盒25張的試紙預計售價40美元。

The iHealth meter works with both Apple's devices and seven Android phones. It costs $80 for a kit that includes the device, 50 strips, and other accessories. More strips cost $50 for a packet of 50, before insurance.

而iHealth的血糖儀則適用於蘋果設備以及七款安卓(Android)手機。一套設備售價80美元，包括設備、50張試紙以及其他配件。醫保不負擔的情況下，額外試紙一盒50張，售價50美元。

As with any Bluetooth device, like a headset, you have to pair these meters with your phone. I found this easier with the VerioSync. In addition, the VerioSync more easily reconnected with the phone whenever it was in range and I prepared to do a test. The iHealth app always asked me to press a button on the meter to reconnect.

和耳機等其他藍牙設備一樣，你必須將這些血糖儀與手機進行配對。我發現VerioSync的配對比較簡單。此外，無論何時在藍牙範圍內，我準備進行測試時，VerioSync重新連接手機也更加方便。iHealth的應用總是要我按下設備上的一個按鍵進行重新連接。

Both meters can be used when out of range of the smartphone to which they are paired. In these cases, the meters save the readings, and then sync them to the phone the next time you're in range. You can also use the free apps without buying the meters, as digital logbooks. But the companies say their apps only sync data wirelessly from their own meters.

在離開所配對智能手機的藍牙範圍時，兩個血糖儀也都可以使用。在這種情況下，血糖儀會保存數據，等再次進入藍牙範圍內會同步到手機。你不需要購買儀器也可以下載使用免費的應用，就像電子日誌表一樣。但兩家公司都表示，他們的應用只能從自己的設備上無線同步數據。

Traditional meters use small batteries that can last months. A downside of these two Bluetooth meters is that they don't use removable batteries and must be recharged periodically. The meter can last three to four weeks on a charge for a person who tests three times daily, iHealth says. LifeScan says its meter lasts up to two weeks between charges.

傳統血糖儀使用可以續航數月的小電池。這兩款藍牙血糖儀的一個缺陷就是他們沒有可拆卸電池，必須定期充電。iHealth表示，對於一天測試三次的一位患者，他們的設備一次充電可以使用三到四個星期。LifeScan說，他們的儀器一次充電可以堅持至多兩週時間。

I found the LifeScan VerioSync app to be richer and easier to understand. At a glance, it shows you a color-coded bar that tells you what percentages of the time you've been in or out of your optimal range of glucose readings for the last 14 days. You can also see your average reading, and other data, quickly. Tapping on these symbols gives more details.

我發現LifeScan的VerioSync應用內容更豐富，也更容易理解。這款應用會直觀地以一個顏色條來顯示過去14天你處在最佳血糖值範圍內與範圍外的時間比例。你還可以迅速看到自己的平均數值及其他數據。點擊這些圖標可以看到更多細節。

There's also a logbook that shows readings, and patterns of readings, over 14 days, or grouped by time of day. You can manually add readings from other meters, and customize your target ranges, presumably according to what your doctor recommends. You can also email screenshots, or even tables, of results.

這款應用還有一個日誌可以顯示14天的數據以及數據規律，或是按每天的時間段分組。你可以手動添加其他血糖儀測量的數值，根據醫生的建議定製你的目標血糖範圍。你還可以通過電子郵件發送檢測數據的截圖，甚至是表格。

The iHealth app is plainer, and more table-based, though it does include a simple graph to show trends. It also lets you manually enter readings and set target ranges. And it allows you to email results, in table or graphic form, or even post them to social networks. One nice addition: iHealth's emails include a file that can be opened in a spreadsheet.

iHealth的應用更加簡單，表格更多，雖然其中也包括了一個簡單的趨勢圖。這款應用同樣可以手動輸入數值，設定目標血糖範圍。它還可以通過電子郵件發送用表格或圖形顯示的檢測結果，甚至發佈到社交網站上去。此外它還有一個優點：iHealth的電子郵件包括一個用電子表格打開的附件。

A big difference is that, when you are in Bluetooth range, the iHealth app walks you through the test-taking process on the screen of the phone, which I believe could be annoying to an experienced tester. Even in range, the VerioSync app merely receives and integrates the reading.

兩款應用有一個明顯區別：當你進入藍牙有效區域內，iHealth應用會引導你在手機屏幕上進行連接測試，我覺得這對一個有經驗的測試者來說可能有些煩人。而即便在藍牙範圍內，VerioSync應用只會接受和合並檢測數值。

With iHealth, you also get access to a browser-based cloud dashboard that collects data from all of the company's devices you might own. But I found the glucose portion of this to be pretty rudimentary. And you can still only share results via email, not by giving others permission to access to your cloud account.

通過iHealth，你還可以接入一個基於瀏覽器的雲儀表盤，可以從你可能擁有的所有iHealth設備上收集數據。但我發現其中的血糖部分顯得有點初級。而且你依然只能通過電子郵件分享檢測結果，而不能允許其他人接入你的雲賬戶。

Either of these meters could make disease management easier for diabetics with smartphones. But the snail's pace of improvement in these devices is maddening.

這兩款血糖儀都令糖尿病患者可以更爲便捷地通過智能手機進行疾病管理。但這些設備的改進步伐之小卻令人惱怒。