title: A prospective study of the hazards of multiple use of disposable syringes and needles in intensified insulin therapy.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential hazards of multiple use of disposable syringes and needles for insulin injections over a long period of time. A special syringe container (pen-case) was developed to carry the syringe with insulin. In the microbial trial 24 patients, each injecting insulin for 1 week with one disposable needle, were studied for 201 patient-weeks with 5829 injections. Cultures of 154 needles, 155 syringe rinses, 154 pen-case rinses and the remains of insulin in 201 vials revealed no relevant contamination. In the clinical trial 100 diabetic patients were followed up for up to 7 years. Each syringe was reused for 1 to 12 weeks and each needle for 1 to 40 days (4 to 200 injections). Only sporadic redness not exceeding 4 mm2 was seen at sites of about 560,000 insulin injections. Thus, the repeated use of syringes and needles in one diabetic patient may be recommended as a convenient and safe approach in insulin administration.
authors: 1st Department of Medicine, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Chlup
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Marsálek
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Bruns
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009339:Needles; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013594:Syringes
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin