Correcting inhaler technique decreases severity of obstruction and improves quality of life among patients with obstructive airway disease

Alkesh Kumar Khurana; Kapil Dubey; Abhishek Goyal; Kamendra Singh Pawar; Chaiti Phulwaria; Abhijit Pakhare

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_259_18

Correcting inhaler technique decreases severity of obstruction and improves quality of life among patients with obstructive airway disease

J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Jan;8(1):246-250. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_259_18.

Authors

Alkesh Kumar Khurana¹, Kapil Dubey², Abhishek Goyal¹, Kamendra Singh Pawar³, Chaiti Phulwaria², Abhijit Pakhare⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pulmonary Medicine, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
² MBBS Student, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
³ Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Index Medical College, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.
⁴ Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Abstract

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) together constitute a huge burden on healthcare all around the world. Treatment of these patients is largely dependent on the way the inhalation devices are used. This study aimed at measuring the impact of rectification of inhalation technique on quality of life and severity of obstruction in patients with asthma and COPD.

Materials and methods: A total of 45 asthma (partly controlled) and 38 patients with COPD (categories B and C) were enrolled after applying optimal exclusion criteria. These patients underwent Asthma Control Test (ACT)/COPD Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire as a measure of quality of life and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) as a measure of severity of obstruction at 0 and 4 weeks, respectively.

Results: In asthmatics, the mean FEV₁ improved from 2.0 to 2.15 L after 4 weeks of technique correction (P < 0.001). In addition, the mean ACT scores improved from 18.0 to 20.75 (P < 0.001). In patients with COPD, the mean FEV₁ improved slightly from 1.54 to 1.56 L after 4 weeks of technique correction (P = 0.28). In addition, the mean CAT scores improved from 21.86 to 19.83 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Demonstration of correct inhalation technique should be an indispensible part of the treatment prescription of patients with obstructive airway disease. This simple and important task can be undertaken at the level of primary care physicians in a community-based setting to improve patient compliance.

Keywords: Asthma; chronic obstructive lung disease; inhalation technique; quality of life.