[Effect of a spacer device used with metered dose inhaler]

Metered dose inhaler (MDI) is widely used in treatment of bronchial asthma. But adequate efficacy is not obtained if the patients use an improper technique of inhalation. The spacer device was designed to reduce such inhalation errors. Three types of spacers (pear type, tube type, paper spacer) were studied to confirm their usefulness in bronchial asthma. Bronchodilating effect of procaterol (10 micrograms/puff X 2) in conventional MDI or MDI with a spacer was evaluated. There were no significant difference in the effect on the pulmonary function after single inhalation of MDI with or without a spacer for 60 minutes. In regular use of MDI with a spacer for two weeks, PEFR and FEV1.0 were slightly improved. These results suggest that effect of MDI with a spacer may be more effective than MDI alone in regular use.