Influence of ambulatory inhaled treatment with different devices on the duration of acute asthma findings in children.
BACKGROUND
Efficacy of bronchodilator treatment in children with asthma depends on the proper use of inhalation devices. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of inhaled bronchodilator treatment with a spacer and a nebulizer in children with acute asthma findings.


METHODS
Fifty-eight children with acute asthma findings who received ambulatory inhaled bronchodilator treatment with a nebulizer and 39 with a spacer were enrolled in the study. Duration of asthma, inhaled steroid treatment and the number of exacerbations during the previous year were recorded. Duration of current acute symptoms, exacerbation severity score and duration of respiratory findings after initiation of treatment were also recorded.


RESULTS
Children in both groups were similar in age (76.5 +/- 30.3 months using a nebulizer vs 83.1 +/- 25.1 in spacer group, p = 0.26). Duration after diagnosis of asthma, initiation of inhaled steroid treatment and exacerbation symptoms were similar between groups (p = 0.15, 0.76 and 0.93, respectively). Exacerbation severity score in the nebulizer group was not significantly different from the spacer group (2.6 +/- 0.7 vs 2.8 +/- 0.7 respectively, p = 0.19). Number of exacerbations in the previous year was not different (2.0 +/- 1.2 in the nebulizer group vs 1.6 +/- 0.9 in the spacer group, p = 0.08). Duration of acute asthma findings after initiation of inhaled bronchodilator treatment was similar between the two groups (6.5 +/- 2.9 vs 7.2 +/- 4.6 p = 0.34).


CONCLUSIONS
Nebulizers and spacers have similar influence on the duration of acute asthma findings in children when used in ambulatory home bronchodilator treatment.
Yilmaz
Ozge
O
Dept. of Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonology, Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Manisa, Turkey. oyilmaz_76@hotmail.com
Sogut
Ayhan
A
Kose
Umit
U
Sakinci
Ozcan
O
Yuksel
Hasan
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D036501:Metered Dose Inhalers; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000420:Albuterol