Digital Inhaler Associated With Heightened Odds of Improvement in Asthma Control

Participants with suboptimal asthma control had better odds of clinically meaningful improvement using a digital inhaler system compared with standard of care albuterol reliever therapy, according to study results published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.¹

“The albuterol Digihaler (albuterol 90 μg/dose) transmits data wirelessly to a smart device app, which synchronizes with a digital health platform to store and transfer data to a web-based dashboard,” researchers explained in the study background. “The Reliever Digihaler System comprises the albuterol Digihaler, app, digital health platform, and dashboard.”

The system is geared to provide information that can help guide clinical decision making and improve asthma control. The open-label, randomized, 12-week feasibility study compared the Reliever Digihaler System to a standard of care albuterol reliever inhaler in 333 participants aged 13 or older with scores below 19 on the Asthma Control Test (ACT). For participants assigned the Digihaler, researchers advised health care providers to check inhalation data, including inhalation quantity and quality, at least once a week on the dashboard.

The 167 participants who used the Reliever Digihaler System had 85.3% probability of greater odds of improvement in asthma control after 3 months compared with the 166 patients who used standard of care albuterol inhalers, according to the study.

Well-controlled asthma or an improvement in asthma control, as demonstrated by an ACT score of 20 or higher or an increase of at least three units from baseline, was achieved at 3 months by 61% of participants in the Digihaler group compared with 55% of those in the standard of care group, Teva Pharmaceuticals reported in a press release² about the study. Additionally, physicians reported more interactions with patients about poor inhaler technique with the Reliever Digihaler System compared with standard of care.

“Asthma management is complicated, and overuse and misuse of rescue medications is a common problem that contributes to poor asthma control,” said study first author Flavia C.L. Hoyte, MD, of National Jewish Health in Denver and University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. “This study highlights the potential of a digital health tool to support asthma management and physician-patient interactions and discussions around inhaler technique and adherence, as recommended by asthma guidelines.”

References:

1. Hoyte FCL, Mosnaim GS, Rogers L, et al. Effectiveness of a digital inhaler system for patients with asthma: a 12-week, open-label, randomized study (CONNECT1). J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. Published online August 26, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.08.023
2. CONNECT1 study published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice evaluates the potential of ProAir Digihaler (albuterol sulfate) inhalation powder and Digihaler system to help improve asthma management. News release. Teva Pharmaceuticals; September 7, 2022. Accessed September 22, 2022.