Improvement in Compliance with Inhalation Steroids by Fluticasone and Diskhaler. First Report: Examination by a Questionnaire Survey of Patients.

It is generally known that the regular use of inhalation steroids plays an important role in asthma treatment. However, when giving instructions for the inhalation of beclomerasone dipropionate using Inspire Ease® spacers (BDP+IE), difficulty of inhalation techniques may sometimes lead to a reduction in patient compliance. The inhalation of fluticasone propionate (FP) using Diskhaler®, which was newly introduced in Japan in December 1998, shows a stronger antiinflammatory action and thus requires a simpler inhalation technique. It is thus considered that switching from BDP + IE to FP might therefore improve patient compliance with inhalation steroids.To investigate the patient preference for both inhalation agents, we conducted a questionnaire survey in 95 asthmatic patients in whom BDP + IE was switched to FP. Furthermore, we examined whether or not any improvement in the pulmonary functions was observed in the patient evaluation.As a result, 76.8% of the patients preferred FP because of its easier portability, it was easier to use and required a smaller numbers of inhalations. The subjective symptoms improved in 58.9% of the patients while the pulmonary functions improved in most patients. However, some elderly patients reported BDP + IE to be preferable mainly due to the fact that they were accustomed to the procedure.We conclude the use of FP improves compliance since 76.8 % of the patients preferred it to BDP+IE which thus increased patient compliance which therefore resulted in an improvement of pulmonary functions