Abstract
The OptiChamber Diamond (Diamond; Philips Respironics) VHC is a compact, anti-static device designed to facilitate effective pMDI aerosol delivery. This study compared aerosol characteristics from an HFA albuterol sulfate pMDI (ProAir HFA, 90 μg albuterol, Teva Specialty Pharmaceuticals LLC) alone and with an anti-static preproduction Diamond VHC, an anti-static AeroChamber Plus Z-Stat (Z-Stat; Monaghan Medical Corp.) VHC, and a conventional AeroChamber Plus (AC+; Monaghan Medical Corp.) VHC.
Six of each VHC brand were washed and air dried and six pMDIs were primed before use. For each run (n) the pMDI was actuated into the VHC or straight into the next generation impactor (NGI) (for pMDI alone - run before and after VHC tests), followed by 20 s extraction at 30 L/min, repeated 10 times. Drug deposits from the NGI were analyzed by HPLC. The Emitted Dose (ED; drug entering NGI), Fine Particle Dose (FPD; amount of drug ≤ 4.7 μm), Fine Particle Fraction (FPF;% of ED in particles ≤ 4.7 μm), and Mass Median Aerodynamic Diameter (MMAD) were determined using Copley Inhalation Testing Data Analysis Software (CITDAS).
The aerosol characteristics from the three VHCs were substantially equivalent and all removed significant potential throat deposition compared to use of the pMDI alone.
- © 2011 ERS