Evaluation of the inhalation technique in asthmatic children visiting a specialised outpatient clinic

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_D45A4A0F04D5
Type
Inproceedings: an article in a conference proceedings.
Publication sub-type
Abstract (Abstract): shot summary in a article that contain essentials elements presented during a scientific conference, lecture or from a poster.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Evaluation of the inhalation technique in asthmatic children visiting a specialised outpatient clinic
Title of the conference
ESCP-GSASA 38th symposium on clinical pharmacy 30 years of clinical pharmacy, a bright future ahead
Author(s)
Breguet C., Di Paolo Ermindo R., Verga J., Gehri M., Pannatier A.
Address
Geneva, Switzerland, November 3-6, 2009
ISBN
0928-1231
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2010
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
32
Series
Pharmacy World and Science
Pages
303
Language
english
Notes
Meeting Abstract
Abstract
Background and objective: Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic diseases affecting children and adolescents. Good compliance is indispensable for effective treatment since a suboptimal use of inhalation devices can result in decreased therapeutic efficacy and increased morbidity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the inhalation technique of paediatric patients visiting a specialized consultation clinic of a university hospital.
Design: Observational prospective study during a 3-month period. Setting Specialized consultation clinic of a university hospital.
Main outcome measures: This study involved 40 outpatient infants, children and adolescents visiting alone or with their parent(s). Patients' data (age, sex, weight, diagnostic, reason for consulting, previous consultations) and their medicines were compiled using an ad hoc form. Filmed sequences of the inhalation procedure used by each child were reviewed independently by members of an interdisciplinary team consisting in a physician, a pharmacist, a nurse and a physiotherapist. A score of 1 was assigned to each correct step in the procedure, and a score of 0 to an incorrect step. A perfect procedure implied 12 correct steps.
Results: Thirty patients were treated with a metered-dose inhaler and an inhalation chamber (Babyhaler or AeroChamber Plus); ten other patients were treated with a dry powder inhaler (Diskus or Turbuhaler). The agreement between the members of the interdisciplinary team was considered satisfactory. Nine patients (22.5%) reached an average score lower than 7, 18 patients (45%) a score between 7 and 10 and 13 (32.5%) a score equal to or better than 10. No patient reached the maximum score of 12. Users of the metered-dose inhalers (average score = 9.2) showed a better technique than users of the dry powder inhalers (average score = 7.4). Disappointingly, the score was not improved during a second consultation or following regular consultations.
Conclusions: Video recording is a simple method to evaluate the degree of mastery of an inhalation procedure in paediatric patients. The method allows a convenient and efficient identification of suboptimal procedure steps by the hospital staff, and opens the way to patient-specific teaching. In two-thirds of juvenile patients, their inhalation technique was suboptimal despite initial training. This study shows conclusively that the inhalation technique in paediatric patients must be monitored during each examination, and teaching measures taken to improve it when necessary.
Keywords
Inhalation, Asthma, Children
Web of science
Create date
23/06/2010 10:35
Last modification date
20/10/2020 14:41
Usage data