DPI Airflow Resistance
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient's Perception of Dry Powder Inhaler Airflow Resistance
IRAS ID
235776
Contact name
Omar Usmani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
A variety of inhaler devices are available for the treatment of patients with respiratory disease but the last five years has seen a dramatic increase in the number of inhalation device/drug combinations. This is set to continue, particularly for patients with asthma and COPD. Of the inhalation devices, dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are the most commonly used for the maintenance treatment of respiratory disorders globally and have become the mainstay inhaler device for maintenance treatment in asthma and COPD.
DPI devices are breath-actuated and the energy for releasing and dispersing the powder into an aerosol is derived from the inhaled airstream of the patient. For this reason, it is important for the patient to have a sufficiently deep breath with an inspiratory flow rate that is high enough to disperse and deliver the powder. The patient’s perception of the inhalation process is a critical factor that ultimately influences the patient’s acceptance of using their DPI device for example, how patients perceive the airflow resistance when inhaling through a DPI. Understanding the variability in interactions of different patients with the same device is important, but also how one patient interacts with the different devices that might be prescribed for them.
The objectives of the study are:
(1). Develop a device for collecting inspiratory flow profiles through passive DPIs.
(2). Develop a standardized questionnaire and scoring method for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of patient‘s perception of DPI airflow resistance.
(3). Record inspiratory flow profiles in conjunction with the perception of airflow resistances of patient populations (asthma, COPD), inhaling through varied airflow resistances through a drug-free clinical study.
(4). Produce a standardized method for the collection of patient inspiratory flow profiles through DPIs and a standardized questionnaire for assessment of patient perception of DPI airflow resistance.REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EE/0056
Date of REC Opinion
14 May 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion