A metered-dose inhaler (MDI) with spacer allows for the delivery of maintenance therapy for childhood asthma. In this study, the authors aimed to assess the possible effects of inhalation skills in the use of an MDI with a small-volume spacer on asthma outcome in asthmatic children. The study group consisted of 66 asthmatic children between 7 and 11 years of age (mean +/- SD 8.2 +/- 1.7 years) and a control group that consisted of 54 asthmatic children between 7 and 12 years of age (mean +/- SD 7.7 +/- 0.9 years). All subjects were prescribed fluticasone propionate 125 micro-g 1 puff by an MDI with a small-volume Aerochamber spacer twice daily for 12 weeks. Inhalation skill scoring was made using the standardized MDI spacer checklist. Spirometric measurements and Health-related qualify-of-life measures were performed before and at the end of the 12-week treatment. There was no significant correlation between asthma outcome measures and MDI spacer checklist scores in children with asthma (r = 1.76, p > 0.05). Moreover, the MDI spacer checklist scores were not statistically different between the study and control groups (p > 0.05). This finding suggests that the standardized MDI spacer checklist scale scores have no significant impact on asthma outcome in children with asthma.

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