title: Ranibizumab prefilled syringes: benefits of reduced syringe preparation times and less complex preparation procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A recently developed ranibizumab prefilled syringe (PFS) eliminates several preparatory steps versus the standard vial-based method, and is expected to reduce syringe preparation time (SPT) and enhance procedural simplicity for intravitreal injections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Syringe preparation times for the ranibizumab PFS and vial were recorded during standard treatment sessions at 2 centers, without randomization. The duration of each step in preparing the syringe was recorded. At each center, total SPT (mean total duration of all syringe preparation steps) for each method was compared using a 2-tailed t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 97 SPTs were analyzed across both centers. Center 1 SPTs were 46 seconds (PFS) versus 75 seconds (vial; difference, 29 seconds; p&lt;0.001). Center 2 SPTs were 46 seconds (PFS) versus 63 seconds (vial; difference, 17 seconds; p&lt;0.001). This equates to a 27%-39% reduction in SPT when using the PFS rather than the vial, resulting mostly from the reduced number of syringe preparation steps associated with the PFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Syringe preparation times for ranibizumab intravitreal injections are significantly shorter with the PFS than with the vial. The time saved by using the PFS may benefit physicians and nurses, and the simplicity of the injection preparation process with the PFS is advantageous.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Créteil, Université Paris-Est, Créteil - France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Souied
authors.affiliation: Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, Paris - France.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nghiem-Buffet
authors.affiliation: Novartis Pharma AG, Basel - Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leteneux
authors.affiliation: Q_PERIOR AG, Zurich - Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.affiliation: Novartis Pharma France, Paris - France.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derveloy
authors.affiliation: Novartis Pharma AG, Basel - Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagkriotis
authors.affiliation: Q_PERIOR AG, Zurich - Switzerland.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Créteil, Université Paris-Est, Créteil - France.|Centre Ophtalmologique d'Imagerie et de Laser, Paris - France.
authors.forename: Salomon-Yves
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004339:Drug Compounding; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013594:Syringes; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab