Assessment of the acceptability of a new salbutamol multidose dry powder inhaler (DPI) in patients with asthma

Introduction: Because of environmental concerns, the use of chlorofluorocarbons in pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDI) is being phased out. Innovata Biomed Ltd has developed an alternative device, the Clickhaler®, which is a multiple-dose dry powder inhaler (DPI). The present study compared patient acceptability of the salbutamol Clickhaler® with a prestudy device. Patients and Methods: Adult patients with asthma who were receiving bronchodilator therapy (either salbutamol pMDI or terbutaline Turbuhaler® DPI) were entered into this open-label study, which was designed to assess the acceptability of the salbutamol Clickhaler® before and after a 4-week period of routine clinical use. Results: Overall acceptability questions showed that 99% of patients found the new DPI very easy/easy to use at visit 1 and 94% at visit 2. At the same two visits, the salbutamol Clickhaler® was rated very good/good overall by 98 and 80% of the patients, respectively. The number of patients finding the salbutamol Clickhaler® easier to use (44%) was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the number who found their prestudy inhaler easier to use (27%). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the salbutamol Clickhaler® showed a high degree of acceptability and ease of use when used routinely by adult patients with asthma.