Device for measuring bronchodilator delivery and response in resource-limited settings

Abstract

Introduction Effective delivery of aerosolized bronchodilators for patients with asthma is crucial for adequate therapy in critical care and emergent settings. Often administered with pressure-metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), bronchodilator delivery depends on the correct patient technique during administration [1] and the ability to measure treatment response, which are dif cult to monitor at the point of care and particularly so in resource-poor settings where standard inhospital monitoring is unavailable [2]. Methods A point-of-care device for airflow measurement during bronchodilator delivery was designed and tested for use in resource-limited settings. The handheld device was constructed from a clinical aerosol delivery tube with a bidirectional sensor for pressure differential detection about the aerosol element (Figure 1). The custom low-cost (Image Presented) (Graph Presented) (