Goutam Sen1, Krishna Chandra Ganguly2, Mohammad Hasanur Rashid3, Mohammad Rustom Ali4, Mohammad Shahedur Rahman Khan2, Bashir Ahmed2, Md. Khairul Hassan Jessy2, Shah Syed Mohammad Iqbal Huda5, Mohammad Atiqur Rahman1, Biswajit Kumar Biswas1, Md. Shahjada Tabrez1, Mohammad Sanaullah Sarker 1

Abstract
Background: Asthma is common, chronic respiratory disease affecting 1-18% of the population in different
countries. The long term goals of asthma management are to achieve good symptom control and to minimize
future risk of exacerbations, fixed airflow limitation and side-effects of treatment. Inhaled medicines are an
integral component of asthma management. The devices used to deliver medicines to the lungs are, in many
respects, as important as the medicines themselves. So, it is very much necessary to find out the way the
patients can make the best use of their inhaled medications. The purpose of study was to assess the efficacy
of using spacers along with inhalers for the management of asthma. Methods: This was a hospital based
randomized controlled trial study and conducted at the department of Respiratory Medicine, National Institute
of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH), Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Following informed written
consent, total 76 patients with asthma were included into the study, 38 patients were treated with inhalers
alone and were considered as control group and another 38 patients were treated with inhalers with spacers
who were grouped as interventional group. All patients were interviewed and they were subjected to do
physical examination, relevant investigations by researcher with a pretested questionnaire. Finally, the follow
up results of the two groups were compared. In all cases, Ethical issues were maintained properly and
collected data were analysed by SPSS 22. Results: Group I (Interventional group) consisted of 63.1% female
and group II (control group) consisted of 57.8% female participants. After 7 days from baseline spirometry,
pre-bronchodilator FEV1 volume (L) change in group I was 0.08±0.08 and in group II was 0.09±0.07. The
difference between these two groups was statistically not significant (p value 0.564). After 30 days from
baseline spirometry pre-bronchodilator FEV1 volume (L) change in group I was 0.23±0.07 and in group II was
0.21±0.08. The difference between these two groups was also statistically not significant (p value 0.250).
Similar results were seen in post-brochodilator FEV1 change (Both in volume and percentage predicted
value), though asthma symptom control was marginally better in group II after 7 days but after 30 days, it was
almost identical. Conclusion: The present study concluded that there is no significant difference in improving
respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function by using spacers along with inhalers or not using spacers.
Thus spacers do not give any additional benefit unless and until there is any specific indication of their use.
Rather, proper utilization and correct technique of using inhalers can provide the desired effect.
Keywords: Spacers, Inhalers, Forced Expiratory Volume In One Second (FEV1)

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