[Inhalation chambers: an alternative to the conventional inhalator?]

Aerosol inhalers constitute the most commonly used form of administration of medication by most of the patients with respiratory disease although incorrect usage is a demonstrated fact in many studies. A previous study demonstrated that, despite correct instruction by health care staff and the patients, 30% of the same use these inhalers incorrectly. In the present study, the efficacy of inhalation chambers (750 ml) and spacers (50 ml) versus the conventional inhaler was evaluated by quantification of bronchodilator response.

Fifty-six stable patients with chronic obstruction to air flow in habitual treatment with aerosol inhalers (AI) were studied. For this study 27 patients used the chamber and 29 the spacer. The patients using the maneuvers correctly (n = 42) and those that did not (n = 14) were studied together and separately.

Patients using the inhaler incorrectly were found to benefit significantly from either of the procedures. Upon comparison of the chambers (750 ml) with the spacers (50 ml) a significant improvement was observed with the former.

The response to bronchodilator treatment in patients not using aerosol inhalers correctly improves significantly upon use of either inhalation chambers or spacers with the former demonstrating the best results.