COMPARISON OF THREE VALVED HOLDING CHAMBERS (VHCs) FOR THE DELIVERY OF HFA-FLUTICASONE PROPIONATE TO AN INFANT FACE MODEL

A Valved Holding Chamber with facemask is often prescribed to patients such as infants and small children, for use with metered dose inhalers. However, the efficiency of this delivery mode can be impacted by electrostatic charge. The AeroChamber MAX* VHC has been designed with a StatBan* custom electrostatic charge dissipative polymer chamber, in order to minimize the effects of static charge.

A study conducted in conjunction with Professor Allan Coates of the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, entitled “Comparison of Three Valved Holding Chambers (VHCs) for the Delivery of HFA-Fluticasone Propionate to an Infant Face Model”, was presented at the 15th annual Drug Delivery to the Lungs (DDL) Conference in December, 2004. The study measured the drug delivery efficiency of Fluticasone Propionate (Flovent** GSK) when delivered to an anatomical child model face. Drug delivery efficiency is a significant measurement as it assesses the total mass collected on the filter as a percentage of the pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) label claim.

AeroChamber MAX* VHC, OptiChamber** Advantage and ProChamber** VHCs were used in the study. The electrostatic charge dissipative AeroChamber MAX* VHC devices were tested out of package and wash/rinsed. The OptiChamber** Advantage and the ProChamber** VHCs are both manufactured from non-conducting polymers and hence were pre-washed but not rinsed in order to maximize the benefit of detergent coating as a means of reducing electrostatic charge.

AeroChamber MAX* VHC used out of package showed the highest drug delivery efficiency (22%) followed closely by the AeroChamber MAX* VHC devices that were washed and rinsed (20.5%). The ProChamber** and the OptiChamber** Advantage showed significantly lower drug delivery efficiency, measuring 10.4% and 7.8% respectively.

The authors concluded that the use of electrostatic charge dissipative materials such as those used in the AeroChamber MAX* VHC are much more effective than pretreatment of non-conducting VHCs like the OptiChamber** Advantage and the ProChamber**.

Another important facet of the study was the use of the model face having realistic surface texture so that the VHCs could be tested with their facemasks in place. This is in contrast with competitors studies in which the facemask is removed and the drug delivery measured at the mask adapter. The study therefore has added realism and is more clinically relevant, as it speaks to how these VHCs function when used as they would be to deliver medication to small children.

This study highlights the consistent performance of the electrostatic charge dissipative AeroChamber MAX* VHC, particularly when used directly out of the package without pretreating.

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© 2005 Trudell Medical International. All rights reserved

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