Digital Inhaler May Predict Acute COPD Exacerbations
TUESDAY, July 1, 2025 -- Digital inhalers may help predict the occurrence of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for patients in an ambulatory setting, according to a study published online in the May issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases.
M. Bradley Drummond, M.D., from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues examined variation in digital inhaler (ProAir Digihaler; Teva)-measured physiologic and inhaler use metrics in ambulatory patients with COPD in advance of acute exacerbations of COPD. The analysis included 9,649 inhalations among 40 participants in a phase 4, open-label, three-month pilot study. Participants had a history of two moderate or one severe acute exacerbation of COPD in the prior 12 months.
The researchers found that across all inhalations, the mean peak inspiratory flow (PIF) was 67.6 L/min and mean inhalation volume was 1.40 L. During the 14 days preceding acute exacerbations of COPD, there were statistically significant reductions in mean inhalation volume (1.45 versus 1.08 L), inhalation duration (1,876 versus 1,492.1 msec), and time to peak (500 versus 376.27 msec). There were no significant changes observed in PIF (67.2 versus 63.3 L/min) or number of inhalations per day (2.65 versus 3.65).
"While this study examined a small group of participants, the remote monitoring data showed people experienced significant decreases in the amount of air they inhaled and how long that inhalation lasted in the approximately two weeks prior to experiencing an exacerbation," Drummond said in a statement. "As these remote monitoring technologies get more advanced, we can help both patients and health care providers identify exacerbations earlier, which allows us to provide better exacerbation management and improve health outcomes."
Several authors reported financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, including Teva, the maker of the ProAir Digihaler.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
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