Cold spray may take the sting out of insulin shots — a trial puts it to the test
NCT ID NCT07728162
First seen Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a quick cold spray on the skin before a subcutaneous insulin injection can reduce pain compared to a placebo spray. Adults in the emergency department who need at least two insulin injections receive both sprays in random order, rating their pain after each. The goal is to see if this simple, low-cost approach can make injections more comfortable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a vapocoolant (cold) spray applied to the skin before injection
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to ease injection pain for people with diabetes in emergency settings.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial in a specific setting (emergency department), so results may not apply to routine daily insulin use. The effect may be modest or no better than placebo.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
100 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Feb 2025
- Finished
-
Apr 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Receiving subcutaneous insulin in the emergency department * Expected to require at least one further subcutaneous insulin injection during the same encounter * Able to complete a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) Exclusion Criteria: * Allergy to the spray content * Local abnormality at the intended abdominal injection site (e.g., active skin infection, hematoma, extensive scarring, or lipohypertrophy) * Cognitive condition precluding reliable VAS assessment (e.g., dementia or Alzheimer disease)
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Bolu Izzet Baysal Training and Research Hospital
Bolu, 14030, Turkey (Türkiye)
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