Importance of inhaler device use status in the control of asthma in adults: ASIT

Background: Proper education and training in correct inhalation technique has been reported to have a substantial role in the achievement of optimal therapeutic benefit and asthma control. The present study was designed to evaluate inhaler technique and the role of education in relation to asthma control among patients with persistent asthma in Turkey. Methods: A total of 572 patients with persistent asthma (mean(SD) age:42.7(12.2) years, 76% were females) were included in this non-interventional observational registry study conducted across Turkey. Data on the effective and correct use of inhaler devices were collected via Ease of Use for the Inhaler Device Questionnaire to patients and physicians. Results: Asthma control (overall 61.5% at baseline and increased to 87.3% during follow up) was better with significant improvement in technique and the decrease in basic errors to range of 0-1, regardless of the inhaler type. Overall, the most common basic error associated with inhalation maneuvers was failure to exhale before inhaling through the device (18.9%). There was concordance between patients and physician questionnaires in terms of ratio of correct inhaler technique only for spray type of inhalers. Conclusion: Close follow up with repeated checking of patients’ inhaler techniques with correction of the errors in each time by physicians seem to be associated with a significant decrease in percent of patients with basic errors in inhalation maneuvers and deviceindependent errors and the better control of persistent asthma.