HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Anderson, P. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Anderson, P.

Patient preference for and satisfaction with inhaler devices

CORRESPONDENCE: P. Anderson, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, 4301 W. Markham, Slot 555, Little Rock, AR 7220, USA. Fax: 1 5016867893. E-mail: PJAnderson{at}uams.edu

Preference for and satisfaction with inhaler devices may be associated with improved clinical outcomes, but this has not been proven to date.

A screened Medline search for papers on preference for inhaler devices produced 29 studies on a variety of devices, with Advair Diskus® and Turbuhaler^TM featuring prominently. Of the 23 studies sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry, the sponsor's device was preferred in 19. Interpretation of results was made more difficult because only two studies used robust instruments for measuring preference and satisfaction. Patients with unstable disease or who were unable to use inhalers were usually excluded, and the extent of instruction and coaching given in the studies was greater than that seen in everyday practice. Studies found no significant differences in clinical outcomes between devices (where measured).

Although inhaler preference is a valid patient-reported outcome deserving of scientific study, assessment and reporting of preference outcomes should follow the same regulatory standards as other patient-reported outcomes.

KEYWORDS: Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, inhaler, preference, satisfaction