The following is a summary of “Comparative study of the inhalation parameters of COPD patients through NEXThaler® and Ellipta® dry powder inhalers,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pulmonology by Farkas et al.
Effective delivery of dry powder aerosol drugs hinges upon the intricate interplay of various inhalation parameters specific to individual patients, a metric not routinely measured in clinical practice. Predicting these parameters based on readily available spirometric data holds promise in guiding device selection and optimizing therapeutic outcomes. In this context, their study sought to conduct comprehensive inhalation experiments aimed at elucidating correlations between inhalation parameters among COPD patients utilizing two distinct DPI devices and their pertinent spirometric metrics, alongside exploring the influence of demographic variables such as gender, age, and disease severity.
Specifically, the researchers endeavored to establish statistical associations between peak inspiratory flows (PIF) through NEXThaler® and Ellipta® inhalers and their determinants. Through meticulous assessment of breathing parameters from 113 COPD patients via standard spirometry and during inhalation through the designated DPIs, the study group conducted robust statistical analyses to derive meaningful insights. The findings revealed average peak inspiratory flow values of 68.4 L/min and 78.0 L/min for NEXThaler® and Ellipta® devices, respectively.
Furthermore, the investigators observed significantly higher PIF values among male participants compared to their female counterparts, while discernible variations based on age, BMI, and disease severity groups were not evident. Notably, peak inspiratory flow values exhibited the strongest correlation with their native spirometric counterparts, with discernible linear relationships unveiled. These empirical outcomes hold promise for future endeavors aimed at predicting the efficacy of inhalation among COPD patients utilizing DPI devices, thereby facilitating informed decision-making regarding device selection. By ensuring the judicious pairing of device-drug combinations tailored to individual patient profiles, the study underscores the potential to enhance lung dose delivery and optimize therapeutic efficacy. Ongoing research endeavors will further elucidate these findings and constitute the focus of forthcoming publications.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0954611124000507
