Traditionally, insulin has been injected using a syringe and a needle. However, injections are frequently considered painful and traumatic, causing psychological/social problems in many patients with diabetes. Insulin injection pens have been found to be more convenient, cause less pain and improve patients' quality of life. We studied the acceptance and functionality of a new reusable insulin pen, Humapen®, in 94 type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. The patients used insulin for a median period of 7,8 years with 2.7+3.0 injections per day. 42% of them were in previous use of other pens, and the remaining was using syringes. The patients used Humapen® for 8 weeks, maintaining their previous insulin regimen. All patients completed the study. The results with previous users of syringes or pens were similar. Humapen® characteristics most frequently referred by the patients as superior in relation to the previous administration method, and the characteristics most mentioned were: easiness of adjustment/ use (89%), measurement/correction/reading of the dose (88%) and cartridge change (80%). 98% of the previous syringe users, preferred Humapen® to syringe and about 80% of the patients preferred Humapen® to the previous pen. No patient stopped using the pen, and at the end of the study, 92% of the patients answered that they would continue using Humapen®. 13% of the patients referred difficulty with the pen, and the most frequent reasons were the pen size and initial adaptation. There were no adverse events or technical problems with the pen. Health care professionals had no difficulties with the instructions of pen use or reading/adjustment of the dose, and at the end of the study 100% of them said they would continue recommending Humapen®. The use of an insulin pen should be considered in diabetic patients, in patients with fixed mixtures, basal intermediate insulin, and especially in multiple injections regimens.
Insulin injection device; Insulin pen; Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes
