Does mixing inhaler devices lead to unchecked inhaler technique errors in patients with COPD? Findings from the cross-sectional observational MISMATCH study.

Background: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be prescribed multiple inhalers that require different techniques for optimal performance. Mixing devices has been associated with poorer COPD outcomes suggesting that it leads to inappropriate inhaler technique. However, empirical evidence is lacking.

Is Inhaler Technique Adequately Assessed and Reported in Clinical Trials of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Therapy? A Systematic Review and Suggested Best Practice Checklist.

Background: Inhaled medications are central to treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet critical inhaler technique errors are made by up to 90% of patients. In the clinical research setting, recruitment of subjects with poor inhaler technique may give a false impression of both the benefits and the necessity of add-on treatments such as biologic therapies.

Objective: To assess the frequency with which inhaler technique is assessed and reliably optimized before and during patient enrollment into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the efficacy of topical therapy, and the escalation of therapy for asthma and COPD.

Inspiratory flow profile and usability of the NEXThaler, a multidose dry powder inhaler, in asthma and COPD.

Background: Inhaler selection is important when managing respiratory conditions; a patient's inhalation technique should be appropriate for the selected device, and patients should ideally be able to use a device successfully regardless of disease severity. The NEXThaler is a multidose dry-powder inhaler with a breath-actuated mechanism (BAM) and dose counter that activates only following inhalation, so effectively an 'inhalation counter'. We assessed inspiratory flow through the NEXThaler in two studies and examined whether inhalation triggered the BAM.

The clinical effectiveness of the COPDnet integrated care model.

Rationale: Integrated care models have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with COPD. We therefore designed the COPDnet integrated care model and implemented it in two hospitals and affiliated primary care regions in the Netherlands. The COPDnet model consists of a comprehensive diagnostic trajectory ran in secondary care followed by a non-pharmacological intervention program of both monodisciplinary and multidisciplinary components.

Daily Impact of COPD in Younger and Older Adults: Global Online Survey Results from over 1,300 Patients.

The daily impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on younger patients is often underappreciated. To assess this, we investigated the disease burden experienced by younger and older patients. A panel of questions was developed in conjunction with the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations and Boehringer Ingelheim.