Patient characteristics associated with poor inhaler technique among a cohort of patients with COPD

- The majority of individuals with COPD (65.6%) demonstrate poor technique for at least one inhaler.
- Subjects who are Black or have lower educational attainment are more likely to have poor technique.
- The largest number of errors are made with metered dose inhalers compared to other devices.
- The most errors made are related to breathing (breath holding, exhalation, rate of inhalation).

BackgroundInhaled therapies are the cornerstone of pharmacologic management for COPD. Each device requires a unique series of steps to be most effective, making appropriate instruction in inhaler technique a key part of the management of COPD.ObjectivesExamine characteristics of patients and devices associated with poor technique among patients with COPD.MethodsCross-sectional study of subjects with COPD using at least one of: metered dose inhaler, Advair Diskus, Spiriva Handihaler, identified from the COPD Outcomes-based Network for Clinical Effectiveness and Research Translation (CONCERT) registry. Technique was assessed face-to-face using manufacturer-provided dummy inhalers, with standardized checklists for each device. We used logistic regression to model associations with poor inhaler technique, defined as an error in ≥20% of the steps, as a function of patient characteristics, with educational attainment the primary predictor.Results688 individuals meet eligibility criteria, 65.5% had poor technique for at least one device. In adjusted analyses, Black race was associated with poor technique (OR 3.25, 95%CI 1.86-5.67) while greater than high school education was associated with decreased odds of poor technique (OR 0.35, 95%CI 0.17-0.70 for trade school/some college, OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.11-0.61 for college or more, p ≤ 0.001 for test of linear trend). The percentage of errors varied between devices, with subjects making proportionally the most errors for MDIs.ConclusionsPoor inhaler technique is common among individuals with COPD, varies between devices, and is associated with race and educational attainment. Tailored educational interventions to teach inhaler technique should be part of the process of initiating and monitoring inhaled therapies.