User trial of Easypod, an electronic autoinjector for growth hormone.
OBJECTIVE
A new electronic injection device, the Easypod, has been developed to administer growth hormone (GH). This study assessed the use of this device in common practice.


METHODS
Results are from the French arm (one centre) of an international, open-label, uncontrolled study. Subjects were children already using, or about to start, GH therapy. Children used the Easypod device for 60 days. The main outcome measures were patients' or, if appropriate, their parents' qualitative overall impression of the device and the usefulness of its features after 15 days' use, as evaluated by questionnaire.


RESULTS
At day 15, all participants (20/20) described their overall impression of the Easypod device as "good" or "very good". All participants rated the display of the remaining drug in the cartridge, the preprogrammed dosing, the onscreen instructions and the automatic-needle attachment as "useful" or "very useful". The device's audible/visible signals and customisable injection depth and speed were each rated as "useful" or "very useful" by 19/20 participants and the skin sensor, customisable needle-insertion speed and dose-injection confirmation were each rated as such by 18/20 participants. Electronic display of the date and time of the last injection and the dose history were considered "useful" or "very useful" by 17/20 and 15/20 participants, respectively. At day 60, 17/17 respondents expressed a preference for continuing to use the device.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that the features of Easypod are considered useful in routine practice and the majority of participants expressed a desire to continue using the device.
Tauber
M
M
Unité d'Endocrinologie, Maladies Osseuses, Génétique et Gynécologie Médicale, Hôpital des Enfants, CHU Toulouse, TSA, Toulouse cedex 9, France. tauber.mt@chu-toulouse.fr
Payen
C
C
Cartault
A
A
Jouret
B
B
Edouard
T
T
Roger
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone