Reducing electrostatic charge on spacer devices and bronchodilator response

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Plastic spacers are commonly used with pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) to improve drug delivery.
• Reducing electrostatic charge on spacers via detergent washing enhances in vitro and in vivo drug delivery.
• The clinical impact of this electrostatic charge reduction on bronchodilator response in asthma patients remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if reducing electrostatic charge on a plastic spacer by washing it with detergent improves bronchodilator response in adult asthmatics.
• To determine the effect of a cleaned spacer on salbutamol delivery and efficacy.
• To investigate the clinical significance of spacer preparation on asthma medication effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Twenty adult asthma patients with known bronchodilator response participated in the study.
• Salbutamol was administered via pMDI (Ventolin) using both an untreated new spacer (Volumatic) and a detergent-washed spacer in a randomized order.
• Doses of salbutamol ranged from 100 to 800 microg, with spirometry, heart rate, and blood pressure monitored throughout the study.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was observed between the untreated and detergent-washed spacers.
• The provocation dose required to achieve a 10% improvement in FEV1 (PD10) was significantly lower with the detergent-washed spacer (430 microg vs. 1505 microg).
• This indicates a more efficient bronchodilator response when using a cleaned spacer.

Conclusions:

• Washing plastic spacers with household detergent improves bronchodilator response in adult asthmatics.
• Reducing electrostatic charge on spacers enhances the clinical effectiveness of asthma medication delivered via pMDI.
• The choice and preparation of the delivery device are crucial for optimizing asthma treatment outcomes.