It is generally known that the regular use of inhalation steroids plays an important role in asthma treatment. However, when giving instructions for the inhalation of beclomerasone dipropionate using Inspire Ease® spacers (BDP+IE), difficulty of inhalation techniques may sometimes lead to a reduction in patient compliance. The inhalation of fluticasone propionate (FP) using Diskhaler®, which was newly introduced in Japan in December 1998, shows a stronger antiinflammatory action and thus requires a simpler inhalation technique. It is thus considered that switching from BDP + IE to FP might therefore improve patient compliance with inhalation steroids.
To investigate the patient preference for both inhalation agents, we conducted a questionnaire survey in 95 asthmatic patients in whom BDP + IE was switched to FP. Furthermore, we examined whether or not any improvement in the pulmonary functions was observed in the patient evaluation.
As a result, 76.8% of the patients preferred FP because of its easier portability, it was easier to use and required a smaller numbers of inhalations. The subjective symptoms improved in 58.9% of the patients while the pulmonary functions improved in most patients. However, some elderly patients reported BDP + IE to be preferable mainly due to the fact that they were accustomed to the procedure.
We conclude the use of FP improves compliance since 76.8 % of the patients preferred it to BDP+IE which thus increased patient compliance which therefore resulted in an improvement of pulmonary functions
