The Effect of Using an Asthma Inhalers With and Without Spacer on O2 Saturation in Patients with Asthma

Abstract

Abstract Background & Aim: Asthma is the most common respiratory tract disease. One of the drugs prescribing in the patients with asthma is inhalation spray or inhaler that is used with or without spacer. The effect of spacer on improving patients with asthma has always been under discussion. Hence, the aim of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of using inhaler on arterial O2 saturation (SaO2) with and without a spacer in patients with asthma. Materials & Methods: This study was an interventional–experimental research that was conducted at hospitals affiliated to Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2016. Sampling was done by random sampling method and 60 patients were selected and included in two groups, i.e. with spacer and without spacer. The data was collected within three consecutive days using questionnaire and data recording forms. The analyses were performed using SPSS 21 by two-way analysis of variance and independent t-test. Results: The average oxygen saturation in the asthmatic group increased from 87.7667 ± 6.03257 on the first day to 88.9 ± 5.86251 on the third day; and in the asthmatic group, it increased from 89.9667 ± 5.01366 on the first day to 94.8 ± 3.38760 on the third day. Between the levels of time, there was a significant difference between the two groups in asthmatic and non-asthmatic groups (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Given the results obtained from this study, it seems that using spacer with inhaler has a significantly positive impact on pulmonary function improvement and increasing blood oxygen saturation.

Keywords

• asthma
• inhaler
• o2 saturation
• spacer