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"Hurts less, lasts longer"; a qualitative study on experiences of young people receiving high-dose subcutaneous injections of benzathine penicillin G to prevent rheumatic heart disease in New Zealand

Four-weekly intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections to prevent acute rheumatic fever progression have remained unchanged since 1955. A Phase-I trial in healthy volunteers demonstrated the safety and tolerability of high-dose subcutaneous infusions of BPG which resulted in a much longer effective penicillin exposure, and fewer injections. Here we describe the experiences of young people living with ARF participating in a Phase-II trial of SubCutaneous Injections of BPG.

Citation:
Cooper J, Enkel SL, Moodley D, ……… Kado JH, Barr RK, Salman S, Baker MG, Carapetis JR, Manning L, Anderson A, Bennett J. "Hurts less, lasts longer"; a qualitative study on experiences of young people receiving high-dose subcutaneous injections of benzathine penicillin G to prevent rheumatic heart disease in New Zealand. PLoS ONE. 2024;19.

Keywords:
Rheumatic fever; rheumatic heart disease; prevention and control; drug therapy; qualitative research; penicillin G benzathine; injections

Abstract:
Four-weekly intramuscular benzathine penicillin G injections to prevent acute rheumatic fever progression have remained unchanged since 1955. A Phase-I trial in healthy volunteers demonstrated the safety and tolerability of high-dose subcutaneous infusions of BPG which resulted in a much longer effective penicillin exposure, and fewer injections. Here we describe the experiences of young people living with ARF participating in a Phase-II trial of SubCutaneous Injections of BPG.