Rationale

Suboptimal adherence, errors in inhaler technique, and reliever overuse are risk factors associated with poor asthma outcomes. The Digihaler® electronic inhaler provides objective data on usage and inhalation parameters that can be accessed via a mobile App by the patient and via a web-based Dashboard by the clinician (together, the Digihaler System [DS]). In the CONNECT2 study (NCT04677959), participants aged ?13 years with uncontrolled asthma used the fluticasone/salmeterol DS and albuterol DS for delivery of controller and reliever medication.

Aim

To identify inhaler usage patterns and inhalation parameters reflecting high-risk asthma scenarios.

Methods

Inhaler data from 210 CONNECT2 participants using the DS were profiled, analyzed descriptively and categorized based on expert-identified risk status.

Results

Several expert-identified risk scenarios were identified, including missing controller doses, increasing reliever use, and inhaler technique errors (Figure).

Conclusions

Objective data from the DS offer opportunities to identify individual asthma patients with elevated risk of adverse asthma outcomes. Real-time identification of these high-risk patterns may allow clinicians and patients to intervene early and prevent future asthma exacerbations.