Abstract Rationale Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are chronic respiratory conditions that can lead to acute exacerbations, impacting patient quality of life and carrying a risk of mortality. The use of a valved holding chamber (VHC)/spacer, such as the AeroChamber* VHC, with a metered dose inhaler (MDI) is recommended in guidelines to improve lung deposition and reduce oropharyngeal side effects. This study aimed to characterize the location and patient-perceived severity of respiratory symptoms from a large cohort of AeroChamber* VHC users to identify unmet needs in patient education and device portability. Methods A survey was sent out to patients across Canada and UK who were registered in the myAERO* Community, a voluntary platform for AeroChamber* VHC users. Recruitment yielded a total of 2553 respondents (2370 from Canada and 183 from United Kingdom). The survey collected data on patient demographics, disease state, self-reported frequency and location of symptom onset (i.e. inside/outside the home), and personal history of severe attacks. Patients were also asked to select descriptors that best matched their experience of an acute exacerbation. Results A substantial portion (40%) of respondents reported their respiratory symptoms occur outside the home (this rose to 55% of those who noted a more prevalent location). Symptom location by age suggested potential variations, with mobility likely influencing the location of acute events. The survey also captured the significant perceived severity and psychological impact of these events with a considerable number of patients reporting that it left them “fearful for their life” (34.0% asthma, 42.57% COPD patient respondents). When asked to choose words to describe the experience of an asthma attack or COPD exacerbation, the top three selected terms were “breathless” (26.7%), “coughing” (22.3%), and “scary” (9.8%). Conclusions It is recognized that these respondents may be subject to selection bias, as they were sourced from a group already enrolled in a company program and therefore more likely to be more adherent than the general patient population. Nevertheless, the finding that a majority of patients experience symptoms most often outside the home underscores the critical need for patients to have immediate access to their rescue medication and VHC. The high percentage of patients, particularly those with COPD, who have endured life-fearing attacks, combined with the prevalent descriptor “scary,” highlights a substantial psychological burden associated with these diseases. These findings reinforce the necessity of patient education that always emphasizes the importance of VHC portability and accessibility. This abstract is funded by: Trudell Medical International
Nagel et al. (Fri,) studied this question.