Needle with a Novel Attachment Versus Conventional Screw-Thread Needles: A Preference and Usability Test Among Adults with Diabetes and Impaired Manual Dexterity

Background: NovoTwist ® (Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsværd, Denmark) is an insulin pen needle that features a novel attachment and detachment system. The aim of this test was to assess overall preference and handling of NovoTwist compared with conventional screw-thread needles in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Methods: One hundred twenty adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and manual dexterity dysfunction who were currently self-injecting with an insulin pen were included in this open-label, randomized, crossover test. Participants were stratified according to the impact that manual dexterity problems had on their ability to inject insulin (1 = no effect at all; 4 = a lot), and those rated as 1 were excluded from subanalyses because of low numbers. Following instruction, participants attached the needle to Next Generation FlexPen ® (Novo Nordisk A/S), made an injection into a foam cushion, and detached the needle; this process was repeated three times with NovoTwist and the participant's current screw-thread needle (or NovoFine ® [Novo Nordisk A/S]) in a random order. Responses to questions on user experience with each needle were subsequently recorded on a 6-point rating scale (1 = very difficult; 6 = very easy). Results: Significantly more respondents had a preference for NovoTwist (79%) compared with the conventional screw-thread needles (21%, P  < 0.001). Significantly more respondents preferred NovoTwist for both ease of attachment (80%, P  < 0.001) and ease of detachment (74%, P  < 0.001). Most respondents found NovoTwist the most appropriate needle for performing everyday injections (71%, P  < 0.001). Conclusions: Such preference by patients has a positive impact on the treatment of diabetes as NovoTwist may alleviate the burden of performing everyday injections through its ease of use.