Intramuscular Risk at Insulin Injection Sites-Measurement of the Distance from Skin to Muscle and Rationale for Shorter-Length Needles for Subcutaneous Insulin Therapy

摘要

Background: Intramuscular (IM) injection can increase insulin absorption, causing hypoglycemia. Available needle lengths today are 4-12.7 mm for pens and 6-12.7 mm for syringes. We describe the distance (D) from skin surface to muscle fascia at injection sites for subcutaneous (SC) insulin therapy and recommend needle lengths to reduce IM injection risk.