The Chocuhaler: sweet deliverance in asthma management.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the characteristics of a new cocoa-based edible spacer device for the delivery of aerosol bronchodilator.


METHODS
In-vitro comparison of two spacer devices (standard and edible) and determination of bronchodilator response using the edible spacer.


METHODS
A university children's hospital in Western Australia.


METHODS
Two volunteers with moderate asthma.


RESULTS
Compared with a standard spacer, the edible spacer delivered significantly more bronchodilator in droplets of a size likely to enter the respiratory tract. A significant bronchodilator response occurred in two out of two subjects when salbutamol was inhaled orally via the chocolate spacer. No significant bronchodilator response occurred in either subject when the spacer was eaten at the end of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
The chocolate spacer used in this study is a suitable device to deliver salbutamol by inhalation. However, there may be potential drawbacks of weight gain in some patients and meltdown in hot climates.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, WA 6008, USA.
M J
MJ
Hayden
J H
JH
Wildhaber
E
E
Eber
S G
SG
Devadason
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols; D000420:Albuterol / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D002099:Cacao; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010316:Particle Size; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
D000336:Aerosols; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000420:Albuterol