Dermal Anesthesia Using a Lidocaine Gel Patch for Pain of Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Self-injection and Relief of Anxiety

Abstract

We estimated the benefits of a transdermally applicable 10% lidocaine gel mixture with absorption promoter (glycyrrhetinic acid monohemiphthalate disodium: GA MHPh 2Na) for the self-injection of human growth hormone (hGH) to reduce injection distress in eight children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Pain rating scales upon both needle puncture and fluid injection of hGH were significantly lower with the lidocaine gel application than with the placebo. The use of the lidocaine gel application in hGH therapy can alleviate the pain of injection and accompanying anxiety, thus obtaining better compliance of children who need daily injections of hGH.