A new portable spacer for use on the go can provide benefits for patients, health care systems and the environment

Introduction: Although Spacers (Valved Holding Chambers) improve inhaler coordination / lung deposition and reduce side effects they are often left at home due to their size and appearance. A new 2-in-1 spacer and protective case for the inhaler was developed to address lack of use ‘On-the-Go’. This abstract reports patient feedback results for the new spacer and looks to assess them in terms of impact to patient, health care system and the environment. Methods: A survey was sent out to English and French speaking patients across Canada who were registered in myAERO* Community, a voluntary platform for AeroChamber* VHC (TMI) users. The survey gauged patient experience with the AeroChamber2go* VHC. Questions included self-reported frequency of use, as well as differences noticed between using an MDI/VHC system compared to an MDI alone. Results: 409 participants completed the survey covering ages from <5 to 81+, with asthma (54%) and COPD (20%) being the two largest contributors. 91% of patients reported using the On-the-Go spacer either all the time or most of the time. When using the spacer with their MDI, 82% of surveyed patients reported more confidence in medication delivery, 26% reported needing fewer inhaler puffs, 11% reported fewer side effects, and 9% reported fewer emergency visits. Discussion and Conclusions: It is recognized that the fact that these patients volunteered to be part of the online platform and then further chose to reply to the survey predisposes them to be more adherent. Nevertheless, the patients surveyed had greater assurance in the delivery of treatment, required fewer puffs and reported less side effects and emergency visits. A reduction in MDI puffs (assumed to be reliever) and less emergency visits should reduce healthcare system costs and burden, and similarly aligns with potential reduced greenhouse gas emissions / positive environmental impact.