Evaluation of the effect of selecting gluteal injection site on the pain injection based on anthropometric indices and body shape pattern: A randomised controlled trial study

Abstract

Aims and objectives: This study was aimed at comparing the effect of injection site selection based on anthropometric indices and body shape pattern on pain injection.

Background: Pain is one of the common complications of intramuscular injection. Selecting the right place for gluteal injection is one of the challenges of nursing which can increase the safety and success of the injection and thereby reduce the pain severity caused by it.

Design: Open-label randomized controlled trial study.

Methods: In this study, 162 eligible subjects referred to the emergency unit of Vasei Hospital of Sabzevar, Iran were randomly assigned to three groups of control, anthropometric indices and body shape pattern. Subjects in the control group received dorsogluteal injection (traditional way). In the anthropometric group, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and anterior superior iliac spine to iliac tubercle (ASIS-IT), and in body shape pattern group, observed body shape indices (OBS), BMI and sex were used to select the gluteal injection site. Pain injection was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The CONSORT checklist was used.

Results: The mean age of the participant was 39.43 ± 13.16 and 43.21% (n = 70) were male. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, the mean pain injection was substantially lower in body shape pattern as compared to the control group (r² : .26; bxy = -0.41; 95% CI: -0.81, -0.01; p = .043). The mean pain injection was significantly greater in the left leg injection than right one (r² : .26; bxy = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.81; p = .021).

Conclusions: Findings of this study suggest that the selection of a gluteal injection site based on body shape pattern in comparison with traditional dorsogluteal injection method has a significant effect on pain injection relief.

Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses can choose the appropriate gluteal injection site based on the body shape pattern to reduce the pain of the intramuscular (IM) gluteal injections.

Keywords: Iran; anthropometric; body shape pattern; intramuscular injection; pain.