Effects of a Spacer on Beta-Stimulant Inhalation

• Published in: Nihon Kyōbu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi Vol. 25; no. 11; pp. 1181 - 1187
• Main Authors: Sakamoto, Yuji, Asai, Sadahiro, Watanabe, Takashi, Shimoda, Terufumi, Hayashida, Masafumi, Miura, Naoki, Yamasaki, Hatsuyo, Inuyama, Masahito, Kiya, Takakazu, Izumikawa, Kinichi, Hara, Kouhei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japanese Respiratory Society 01.11.1987
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Adolescent; Adult; Albuterol - administration & dosage; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - physiopathology; Bronchial asthma; Evaluation Studies as Topic; Female; Humans; Lung Volume Measurements; Male; Metered-dose inhaler (MRDI); Middle Aged; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Spacer; β-stimulant
• ISSN: 0301-1542; 1883-471X
• DOI: 10.11389/jjrs1963.25.1181

Drug-inhalation is one of the important therapeutic methods to control asthmatic patients and the metered-dose inhaler (MDI) has been extensively used because of its convienient, rapid and selective bronchodilating action. However many asthmatics use MDI suboptimally as they sometimes cannot synchronize inhalation with its actuation. To reduce such inhalation errors new MDI delivery devices (spacers) have been developed in Europe and America. Two types of spacers (tube type; Aerochamber and bag type; Inspirease) were studied to confirm their usefulness in bronchial asthma. Twenty seven adult asthmatics with mild attacks were divided to three groups i. e. tube spacer with MDI, bag spacer with MDI and control (MDI ony). Bronchodilating effect of salbutamol in conventional MDI (100μg/puff×2) with or without a spacer was analyzed by respiratory function (FVC, FEV1.0, PEFR, V25 and V50) and signs and symptoms for 60 minutes after inhalation. We could not find a difference between the groups with spacers and controls for each parameter. Patients complained of less oropharyngeal irritaion with a spacer than MDI only. These results suggest that when asthmatics use a spacer fitted to an MDI they do not have to synchronize their inspiration with aerosol generation. Using spacers, effective bronchodilating action can be obtained without synchronization.