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Peak inspiratory flow rate and slope of the inhalation profiles in dry powder inhalers

¹ Dept of Pulmonary Diseases Dekkerswald, University of Nijmegen, Groesbeek, the Netherlands. ² GlaxoSmithKline, Zeist, the Netherlands

CORRESPONDENCE: M.E.A.C. Broeders, Dept of Pulmonary Diseases Dekkerswald, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9001, 6560 GB Groesbeek, The Netherlands. Fax: 31 246859290

Keywords: dry powder inhaler, inhalation therapy, peak inspiratory flow

Received: April 26, 2001
Accepted June 30, 2001

This study was supported by GlaxoSmithKline Zeist, the Netherlands.

Aerosol delivery depends on device design and inhalation technique. In vitro device evaluations have shown that the emitted dose and fine particle mass of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) increase at high peak inspiratory flow rates (PIFR). Since the PIFR is mostly achieved after the release of the powder, slope of the pressure profile is also described as an important determinant. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the PIFR while using Diskus® and Turbuhaler® inhalers could be used to predict the slope of the inhalation pressure profile.

In a group of 10 stable asthma patients and three groups (mild, moderate and severe) of 16 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, lung function was measured, and for each device, 18 inhalation profiles were recorded with the inhalation profile recorder during six sessions over 10 weeks.

The values for the pressure slope and PIFR of both Diskus® and Turbuhaler® were significantly correlated. The r-;values were 0.865 and 0.882, respectively (p<0.01). Percentage explained variance was 74.8% for Diskus® and 77.8% for Turbuhaler®.

Significant correlations were found between peak inspiratory flow rates and slopes. It has been shown for two different dry powder inhalers that peak inspiratory flow rate and slope correlate well in a wide range of patient groups.