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Pulmonary Therapy
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Open Access 03-01-2024 | Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease | Brief Report

Successful Use of Easyhaler® Dry Powder Inhaler in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Analysis of Peak Inspiratory Flow from Three Clinical Trials

Authors: Annette Kainu, Ville A. Vartiainen, Witold Mazur, Hanna Hisinger-Mölkänen, Federico Lavorini, Christer Janson, Martin Andersson

Published in: Pulmonary Therapy | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Introduction

There is increasing pressure to use environmentally friendly dry powder inhalers (DPI) instead of pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDI). However, correct inhalation technique is needed for effective inhaler therapy, and there is persistent concern whether patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can generate sufficient inspiratory effort to use DPIs successfully. The aims of this study were to find clinical predictors for peak inspiratory flow rate (PIF) and to assess whether patients with COPD had difficulties in generating sufficient PIF with a high resistance DPI.

Methods

Pooled data of 246 patients with COPD from previous clinical trials was analyzed to find possible predictors of PIF via the DPI Easyhaler (PIFEH) and to assess the proportion of patients able to achieve an inhalation flow rate of 30 l/min, which is needed to use the Easyhaler successfully.

Results

The mean PIF was 56.9 l/min and 99% (243/246) of the study patients achieved a PIF ≥ 30 l/min. A low PIF was associated with female gender and lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), but the association was weak and a statistical model including both only accounted for 18% of the variation seen in PIFEH.

Conclusions

Based on our results, impaired expiratory lung function or patient characteristics do not predict patients’ ability to use DPIs in COPD; 99% of the patients generated sufficient PIFEH for successful dose delivery. Considering the targets for sustainability in health care, this should be addressed as DPIs are a potential option for most patients when choosing the right inhaler for the patient.

Trial Registration

Two of three included trials were registered under numbers NCT04147572 and NCT01424137. Third trial preceded registration platforms and therefore, was not registered.
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Metadata
Title
Successful Use of Easyhaler® Dry Powder Inhaler in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Analysis of Peak Inspiratory Flow from Three Clinical Trials
Authors
Annette Kainu
Ville A. Vartiainen
Witold Mazur
Hanna Hisinger-Mölkänen
Federico Lavorini
Christer Janson
Martin Andersson
Publication date
03-01-2024
Publisher
Springer Healthcare
Published in
Pulmonary Therapy / Issue 1/2024
Print ISSN: 2364-1754
Electronic ISSN: 2364-1746
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41030-023-00246-8

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