ABSTRACT
Thirty acute asthmatic patients (mean age 35.6 +/- 13.5 years, mean FEV1 0.97 +/- 0.95 L) in the emergency room were evaluated for airway response to procaterol administered by metered-dose inhaler (MDI) compared to MDI with auxiliary device (a paper spacer) in a randomised cross over study. Bronchodilator response to procaterol delivered by MDI, with paper spacer was significantly greater than that by MDI without spacer (mean maximal increment of FEV1, 0.67 +/- 0.46 vs 0.59 +/- 0.46 L, p = 0.016, mean maximal increment of PEFR, 112 +/- 62.3 vs 86.7 +/- 61.3 L/min, p = 0.003) but there was no difference in dyspnoea score, wheezing score and heart rate. This collapsible and portable auxiliary device (paper spacer) can increase therapeutic efficacy of bronchodilator response in asthmatic patients.