Predicting asthma exacerbations employing remotely monitored adherence.

This Letter investigated the efficacy of a decision-support system, designed for respiratory medicine, at predicting asthma exacerbations in a multi-site longitudinal randomised control trial. Adherence to inhaler medication was acquired over 3 months from patients with asthma employing a dose counter and a remote monitoring adherence device which recorded participant's inhaler use: n = 184 (23,656 audio files), 61% women, age (mean ± sd) 49.3 ± 16.

Monitoring Inhaler Inhalations Using an Acoustic Sensor Proximal to Inhaler Devices.

Background: The efficacy of drug delivery from inhalers is very much dependent on the user's peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR). Current methods to measure PIFR in inhalers are based on subjective checklists. There is a lack of methods currently available to objectively remotely monitor PIFR in pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs).

Influences of gender and anthropometric features on inspiratory inhaler acoustics and peak inspiratory flow rate.

Inhalers are hand-held devices used to treat chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Medication is delivered from an inhaler to the user through an inhalation maneuver. It is unclear whether gender and anthropometric features such as age, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) influence the acoustic properties of inspiratory inhaler sounds and peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR) in inhalers.

An acoustic method to automatically detect pressurized metered dose inhaler actuations.

Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect over 400 million people and are incurable. The pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) has been the most popular inhaler device in inhaled therapy in recent times. However the pMDIs require good coordination between inhaling and actuating the inhaler to deliver the aerosolized drug most effectively.

An Acoustic-Based Method to Detect and Quantify the Effect of Exhalation into a Dry Powder Inhaler.

Background: Dry powder inhaler (DPI) users frequently exhale into their inhaler mouthpiece before the inhalation step. This error in technique compromises the integrity of the drug and results in poor bronchodilation. This study investigated the effect of four exhalation factors (exhalation flow rate, distance from mouth to inhaler, exhalation duration, and relative air humidity) on dry powder dose delivery.

A method to assess adherence in inhaler use through analysis of acoustic recordings of inhaler events.

Rationale: Poor adherence to inhaler use can be due to poor temporal and/or technique adherence. Up until now there has been no way of reliably tracking both these factors in everyday inhaler use.

Objectives: This paper introduces a device developed to create time stamped acoustic recordings of an individual's inhaler use, in which empirical evidence of temporal and technique adherence in inhaler use can be monitored over time.

The acoustic features of inhalation can be used to quantify aerosol delivery from a Diskus™ dry powder inhaler.

Purpose: Some patients are unable to generate the peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR) necessary to de-agglomerate drug particles from dry powder inhalers (DPIs). In this study we tested the hypothesis that the acoustic parameters of an inhalation are related to the PIFR and hence reflect drug delivery.

Methods: A sensitivity analysis of the relationship of the acoustics of inhalation to simultaneously recorded airflow, in a cohort of volunteers (n = 92) was performed.

Acoustic Analysis of Inhaler Sounds From Community-Dwelling Asthmatic Patients for Automatic Assessment of Adherence.

Inhalers are devices which deliver medication to the airways in the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases. When used correctly inhalers relieve and improve patients' symptoms. However, adherence to inhaler medication has been demonstrated to be poor, leading to reduced clinical outcomes, wasted medication, and higher healthcare costs.

Using acoustics to estimate inspiratory flow rate and drug removed from a dry powder inhaler.

Morbidity and mortality rates of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are rising. There is a strong requirement for more effective management of these chronic diseases. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are one kind of devices currently employed to deliver medication aimed at controlling asthma and COPD symptoms.

An acoustic method of automatically evaluating patient inhaler technique.

Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affect millions of people worldwide. Inhalers are devices utilized to deliver medication in small doses directly to the airways in the treatment of asthma and COPD. Despite the proven effectiveness of inhaler medication in controlling symptoms, many patients suffer from technique errors leading to decreased levels of medication efficacy.

A method of estimating inspiratory flow rate and volume from an inhaler using acoustic measurements.

Inhalers are devices employed to deliver medication to the airways in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A dry powder inhaler (DPI) is a breath actuated inhaler that delivers medication in dry powder form. When used correctly, DPIs improve patients' clinical outcomes.

Automatic identification and accurate temporal detection of inhalations in asthma inhaler recordings.

Asthma is chronic airways disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. Adherence to medication regimes is a common failing for asthmatic patients and there exists a requirement to monitor such patients' adherence. The detection of inhalations from recordings of inhaler use can provide empirical evidence about patients' adherence to their asthma medication regime.