Evaluation of the use of PenNeedle® 32G Taper in children being treated with growth hormone

Abstract

Pain resulting from needle injection is a serious problem for patients that self-administer medication at home. We studied impressions of needle use by comparing PenNeedle® 32G Taper (NovoFine® 32G Tip), developed to reduce the sense of fear and pain of injection, with a conventional needle, in children self-injecting GH. A total of 34 patients self-injected themselves with needles coupled with Norditropin® NordiFlex® pre-filled recombinant human GH, and impressions of use were evaluated by a series of questionnaires. Compared to the conventional needle, PenNeedle 32G Taper was slightly less painful at time of insertion according to patient responses, though the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.06). PenNeedle 32G Taper has the same inner diameter as the conventional needle, thus there was no difference in the pain felt at time of injection between these two needles. Large differences in pain perception between the two needles were not seen probably due to their similar shape and appearance and as the subjects of this study were young. Nevertheless, based on the results of post-study questionnaires, significantly more patients (68%, P=0.02) expressed a desire to use PenNeedle 32G Taper for daily injections of GH. PenNeedle 32G Taper thus appears to be a superior needle which reduces insertion-associated pain in children receiving recombinant GH and improves patient QOL. Copyright© 2008 by The Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology.