Metered-Dose Inhaler Spacer with Integrated Spirometer for Home-Based Asthma Monitoring and Drug Uptake

TL;DR

Spiromni is a single device that combines a spacer, electronic monitor, and spirometer to help asthma patients monitor their condition and medication use at home.

Contribution

The novel contribution is a single device that addresses asthma inhalation technique, adherence, and monitoring simultaneously.

Findings

Spiromni measures both inhalation and exhalation profiles accurately.

The device prevents medication loss and maintains flow velocity using umbrella valves.

It provides lung function metrics similar to medical pulmonary tests.

Abstract

This work introduces Spiromni, a single device incorporating three different pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) accessories: a pMDI spacer, an electronic monitoring device (EMD), and a spirometer. While there are devices made to individually address the issues of technique, adherence and monitoring, respectively, for asthma patients as laid out in the Global Initiative for Asthma’s (GINA) global strategy for asthma management and prevention, Spiromni was designed to address all three issues using a single, combination device. Spiromni addresses the key challenge of measuring both inhalation and exhalation profiles, which are different by an order of magnitude. Moreover, the innovative design prevents exhalation from entering the spacer chamber and prevents medication loss during inhalation using umbrella valves without a loss in flow velocity. Apart from recording the peak exhalation flow rate, data from the sensors allow us to extract other key lung volume and capacities measures similar to a medical pulmonary function test. We believe this low-cost portable multi-functional device will benefit both asthma patients and clinicians in the management of the disease.

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