Feasibility of Intranasal Versus Subcutaneous Drug Administration: A Non-Randomised Crossover Study.

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Patient Caregiver Studies

Background:

• Effective drug delivery in palliative care requires methods that are simple, rapid, and acceptable for homecare by non-professional caregivers.
• Subcutaneous (SC) and intranasal (IN) administration are potential routes, but their suitability for layperson use needs comparison.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the ease, speed, comfort, and safety of intranasal (IN) versus subcutaneous (SC) drug administration by medical laypersons.
• To determine caregiver preference between IN and SC drug administration methods in a simulated palliative care setting.

Main Methods:

• A non-randomized crossover study involving 31 untrained volunteers performing both IN and SC placebo medication administration.
• Data collected via questionnaires assessing preparation/administration time, perceived ease, comfort, safety, and handling difficulties.
• Statistical analysis included paired t-tests and binomial testing.

Main Results:

• Intranasal administration was significantly faster (1:16 min) than subcutaneous (4:49 min) (p < .001).
• Over 90% of participants preferred IN administration, rating it as easier, more comfortable, faster, and safer.
• SC administration was perceived as more complex and cumbersome, with more frequent handling errors.

Conclusions:

• Medical laypersons strongly prefer intranasal over subcutaneous drug administration in simulated palliative care settings.
• Intranasal administration offers a faster, more acceptable, and user-friendly alternative for caregivers.
• Findings support IN as a practical and caregiver-friendly option for palliative care drug delivery.