• Taku Yamada, Taketomo Kikuchi, Sachiko Nagasu, Kayoko Hashimoto, Eri Furukawa, Hirokazu Matsumoto, Kazuki Tsutsumi, Toshimitsu Tanaka, Miho Kugishima, Takumi Kawaguchi, Fumihiko Fujita, Kyouko Higuchi, and Keisuke Miwa.
• Department of Pharmacy, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
• Patient Prefer Adher. 2024 Jan 1; 18: 144314491443-1449.

PurposeElastomeric infusion pumps are widely used in colorectal cancer chemotherapy. However, no studies to date have investigated patient preferences regarding different infusion pump types.Patients And MethodsTwenty patients with unresectable colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy were initially treated with a portable hard-shelled continuous infusion pump, followed by a soft-shelled continuous infusion pump. The respondents used a numerical rating scale (0-10) to rate their comfort when using each pump, their ease of carrying it, the pump size and shape, its weight, their ease of reading its memory, and their overall satisfaction with it. They were then asked to determine which pump they would ultimately prefer.ResultsIn terms of comfort, significantly higher user satisfaction was reported for the soft-shelled pump during the daytime and when going out (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). For pump portability, size, shape, and weight, the soft-shelled type also outperformed the hard-shelled one (P < 0.001, P=0.0011, P < 0.001, respectively). However, the hard-shelled pump scored significantly better in terms of ease of viewing memory (P < 0.001). Overall satisfaction was significantly higher for the soft-shelled pump than the hard-shelled type (P=0.0095). Finally, 13 patients (65%) indicated that they would prefer a soft-shelled pump for their next treatment, while only one patient (5%) preferred a hard-shelled alternative. A preference for soft-shelled pump was observed, particularly in female patients and those with a body mass index of < 22 kg/m2.ConclusionThe selection of portable elastomeric infusion pumps should consider the preferences of patients with colorectal cancer, as these devices have the potential to enhance their quality of life.© 2024 Yamada et al.

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