The Chocuhaler : sweet deliverance in asthma management

OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of a new cocoa-based edible spacer device for the delivery of aerosol bronchodilator. DESIGN: In-vitro comparison of two spacer devices (standard and edible) and determination of bronchodilator response using the edible spacer. SETTING: A university children's hospital in Western Australia. SUBJECTS: Two volunteers with moderate asthma. RESULTS: Compared with a standard spacer, the edible spacer delivered significantly more bronchodilator in droplets of a size likely to enter the respiratory tract. A significant bronchodilator response occurred in two out of two subjects when salbutamol was inhaled orally via the chocolate spacer. No significant bronchodilator response occurred in either subject when the spacer was eaten at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: The chocolate spacer used in this study is a suitable device to deliver salbutamol by inhalation. However, there may be potential drawbacks of weight gain in some patients and meltdown in hot climates.