COST COMPARISON OF TWO AEROSOL BRONCHODILATOR DELIVERY METHODS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ASTHMA IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
INTERMITTENT NEBULIZATION VERSUS METERED-DOSE INHALER WITH VALVED SPACER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22491/2357-9730.126058Keywords:
Cost study, emergency medicine, acute asthma care, nebulizer, spacerAbstract
Objetive: Bronchodilator delivery by means of metered-dose inhaler or intermittent nebulization is equivalent in the acute treatment of asthma. Some studies suggest that metereddose inhaler is less costly. The choice of the delivery method will depend on the consideration of costs. The aim of the present study is to compare the costs of aerosol bronchodilator delivery by use of an intermittent nebulizater versus metered-dose inhaler with valved spacer in patients with acute asthma in the adult emergency department.
Methods: We compared the costs of different beta-adrenergic agents with and without ipratropium bromide delivered by intermittent nebulizer versus metered-dose inhaler with valved spacer in the adult emergency department of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Comparisons were made for 1, 6 and 12-hour treatment. The costs of all material used were taken into consideration.
Results: The metered-dose inhaler with spacer was a less costly method of bronchodilator delivery in comparison to intermittent nebulization for the different beta-agonist agents, with and without ipratropium bromide.
Conclusions: Bronchodilator delivery by means of a metered-dose inhaler with valved spacer was cost-saving in comparison to delivery by means of an intermittent nebulization in the treatment of acute asthma in the emergency department. The metered-dose inhaler/spacer treatment is progressively less expensive as the length of stay in the emergency department increases.
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