Trigger matters: an ergonomy analysis of insulin pens

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Diabetes Management
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• High force required for insulin injection can cause difficulties and needle bending.
• Existing insulin pens may present ergonomic challenges for safe administration.
• The GensuPen2 features a spring-assisted system and lateral trigger for improved ergonomics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the injection force required by the GensuPen2 against two other insulin pens.
• To evaluate the ergonomic benefits of the GensuPen2's design.
• To assess injection force across different insulin doses.

Main Methods:

• Injection force was measured using a certified dynamometer.
• Three insulin pens (GensuPen2, NovoPen 4, HumaPen Ergo) were tested.
• Force was measured at 2, 30, and 60 unit insulin doses in triplicate (n=10).

Main Results:

• GensuPen2 required significantly lower maximum force (6.55–6.89 N) than NovoPen 4 (9.04–15.42 N) and HumaPen Ergo (17.66–40.39 N) across all doses (P<0.0001).
• Area Under the Curve (AUC) of force for GensuPen2 did not vary with dose (P=0.82).
• GensuPen2's grip ergonomics were found to be more natural compared to the other tested pens.

Conclusions:

• The GensuPen2's lateral trigger and spring-assisted system significantly reduce the force needed for insulin administration.
• This reduction in force is particularly beneficial for high-dose insulin injections.
• The GensuPen2 offers improved ergonomics for safer and easier insulin delivery.