Investigation of appropriate needle length considering skin thickness with the real injection posture for insulin injections in diabetic patients

Autor: Aya Torii-Goto, Kana Hirai, Yuri Inukai, Yoshimi Hoshina, Kazumi Shiomi, Junko Ito, Masae Yoshikawa
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences, Vol 9, Iss 1, Pp 1-6 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2055-0294
DOI: 10.1186/s40780-023-00288-9
Popis: Abstract Background Insulin treatment is widely used not only for type 1 but also for type 2 diabetes patients. Insulin must be injected into the subcutaneous tissue to be effective. The needle length has been shortened for safety and efficiency. However, whether patients use an appropriate needle length is unclear. Methods Skin thickness was measured by ultrasound with patients in their usual posture during injection. Furthermore, the effect of the intervention in which the needle length was changed was investigated. Results Thirty-eight percent of the patients had fluid leakage and injected the needle intradermally. The average skin thickness was 3.3 mm while sitting, which was greater than that in a previous report including measurements taken while lying down. Consequently, the skin thickness was > 4 mm in 9.5% of the patients who used 4-mm needles. Cases of leakage and intradermal injection decreased when the needle length was changed. Conclusions This study identified that the needle length should be considered in patients with thick skin or a lower body mass index due to possibility of intradermal injection.
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