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| |  Insulin Administration With Pen Device Improves Long-Term Adherence to Medication: Presented at ADA By Ed Susman ORLANDO, Fla -- June 28, 2010 -- Patients who use a pen device to administer insulin glargine appear to remain on treatment longer that others who use the traditional vial and syringe delivery method, researchers said here at the 70the Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Not only was the use of the disposable pen device associated with longer persistence of treatment, but it also appears to reduce hypoglycaemic events and resulted in fewer hospital, emergency room, and physician visits, said Stephen Davis, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland. "This study demonstrates that insulin pens may be associated with improved persistence in insulin treatment," said Dr. Davis during his poster presentation on June 28. "Factors associated with pen use that contribute to reduced hypoglycaemia risk may be improved dosing accuracy and possibly less patient error." Dr. Davis and colleagues performed the observational, retrospective study by analysing a large database of 46 US managed care plans containing data for more than 4 million patients with diabetes. From that data base, the researchers were able to identify 1,921 patients who were using the pen device and matched them with 1,921 patients using the vial and syringe delivery system. "Patients initiating insulin glargine with the disposable pen were less likely to discontinue therapy compared with patients initiating with the vial," he said. Over the course of 1 year 42.4% of the patients using the pen discontinued its use compared with 50.8% of those using the vial system (P < .0001). On average, patients using the vial system required about 0.75 visits per year to healthcare providers – hospitals and doctors offices -- for episodes of hypoglycaemia compared with an average of 0.37 visits per year for hypoglycaemia episodes among those using the pen device (P = .005). "In terms of healthcare utilisation, patients using the disposable pen had fewer inpatient admissions and emergency department visits, but significantly more endocrinologist visits," said Dr. Davis. "Reduction in Haemoglobin A1C from baseline was significantly greater in patients initiating insulin glargine with the disposable pen versus those initiating with the vial." The reduction was 1.3% from baseline among those using the pen and 0.8% among those using the vial (P = .01). Funding for this study was provided by Sanofi-Aventis. [Presentation title: Initiating Insulin Glargine (GLAR) With a Pen (Solostar) vs a Vial: Impact on Utilization and Outcomes in a National Managed Care Database. Abstract 0541-P]
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