Preference, satisfaction and errors with two dry powder inhalers in patients with COPD

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management relies heavily on effective inhaler devices.
• Patient preference and ease of use are critical factors influencing adherence to inhaled therapies.
• Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are widely used, but device design can impact critical error rates and satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient preference, satisfaction, and critical errors between a novel multi-dose DPI (Genuair®/Pressair™) and a single-dose DPI (HandiHaler®).
• To evaluate the usability of Genuair®/Pressair™ in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, open-label, multicenter, cross-over study involving patients with moderate-to-severe COPD.
• Patients used both Genuair®/Pressair™ and HandiHaler® with placebo for 2 weeks each, in addition to their regular medication.
• Primary endpoint was patient preference; secondary endpoints included satisfaction, critical errors, and willingness to continue use.

Main Results:

• A significantly higher percentage of patients preferred Genuair®/Pressair™ over HandiHaler® (79.1% vs. 20.9%, p < 0.0001).
• Genuair®/Pressair™ demonstrated significantly higher patient satisfaction (4.6 vs. 3.8, p < 0.0001) and willingness to continue use (84.0 vs. 62.5, p < 0.0001).
• Fewer patients made critical errors with Genuair®/Pressair™ compared to HandiHaler® (2.9% vs. 19.0%, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

• Patients with moderate-to-severe COPD preferred the Genuair®/Pressair™ inhaler after a 2-week practice period.
• The Genuair®/Pressair™ device was associated with greater patient satisfaction and a lower incidence of critical errors compared to HandiHaler®.
• These findings suggest Genuair®/Pressair™ offers improved usability and patient experience for COPD management.