title: Ease of use and preference of a new versus widely available prefilled insulin pen assessed by people with diabetes, physicians and nurses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  FlexTouch® (FT; Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) is a new prefilled insulin pen that has no push-button extension and low injection force. This multi-centre, crossover usability study evaluated the perceptions of, and preference for, FT versus another widely used prefilled pen, SoloStar® (SS; Sanofi, Paris, France), by people with diabetes and healthcare professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following instruction, participants performed injections into a foam cushion, randomly alternating between doses of 20, 40 and 80 international units (IU). Participants then answered questions on usability and preference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 59 people with diabetes and 61 healthcare professionals (30 physicians and 31 nurses) took part. Overall, significantly more respondents preferred to use FT than SS (83 vs 10%, respectively), found FT easier to use (83 vs 9%) and would recommend FT to others (83 vs 8%; p < 0.001 for all). More respondents found it 'very/fairly easy' to reach the push-button and to inject 20, 40 and 80 IU with FT (93, 90 and 88% to inject, respectively) than with SS (73, 43 and 15% to inject, respectively; p < 0.001 for all). Most respondents chose FT as giving them the most confidence in correct and complete insulin delivery (76 vs 6%; p < 0.001) and considerably more were 'very/rather confident' in managing their daily insulin injections with FT than with SS (88 vs 58%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most participants rated FT as easier to use and to inject with, were more confident in its accuracy of insulin delivery and preferred it to SS.
authors: Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1050, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. d-oyer@northwestern.edu
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Oyer
authors: Parth
authors: P
authors: Narendran
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Qvist
authors: Marcus
authors: M
authors: Niemeyer
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Nadeau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D057240:Patient Preference; D010820:Physicians; D013594:Syringes; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin