Importance of Selected Inhaler Characteristics and Acceptance of a New Breath-Actuated Powder Inhalation Device

Abstract

The degree of patient comfort and satisfaction with an inhaler can have an important effect on compliance with asthma treatment and, hence, therapeutic success. The objective of this study was to assess, from the patient's perspective, the importance of various inhaler characteristics and then evaluate patient satisfaction with a new breath-actuated powder inhaler (Diskhaler TM*) based on those characteristics. Self-administered patient satisfaction questionnaires were completed as part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of fluticasone propionate powder in the treatment of asthma. At baseline, patients rated the importance of five inhaler characteristics (convenient to carry, durability, easy to load, easy to hold and operate, and easy to clean). Following exposure to the Diskhaler over a period of 8 weeks, patients rated the inhaler on those same characteristics. They also rated their comfort using the inhaler and their overall satisfaction with the inhaler. Data were available from 274 patients, the majority of whom expressed a high or very high level of satisfaction with the Diskhaler on each of the five characteristics. These ratings were congruent with their ratings of the importance of those same characteristics; 80-90% rated “convenient to carry”, “durability”, “easy to load,” and “easy to hold and operate” as important or very important characteristics for an inhaler, while “easy to clean” was considered somewhat less important, with 63% rating this characteristic as important or very important. Following the initial exposure to the Diskhaler, 67% of patients were comfortable or very comfortable with the inhaler; that percentage increased to 79% after 8 weeks of use. Following 2 and 8 weeks of use, 61 and 62%, respectively, were satisfied or very satisfied with the Diskhaler. In general, satisfaction ratings were not affected by treatment, indicating that patients were evaluating only the inhaler and not the efficacy of the study drug they received. This study helped to identify which selected inhaler characteristics are most important to patients with asthma. The Diskhaler inhaler performed well on those characteristics deemed important to the patients. From their first exposure to the Diskhaler, patients were comfortable using the device, and this overall acceptance of the inhaler was maintained throughout the study.