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Using a Smart Inhaler to Support Asthma Management in Adolescents With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial: Utilizing a Digital Inhaler to Support Asthma Management in Adolescents With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06783101
Acronym
IDD
Enrollment
30
Registered
2025-01-20
Start date
2024-08-13
Completion date
2025-04-30
Last updated
2025-01-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Asthma in Children, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Disability, Intellectual Disabilities (F70-F79)

Keywords

smart inhaler, asthma, inhaler proficiency, children, intellectual disability, developmental disability

Brief summary

Correct use of daily medications containing inhaled corticosteroids is key for asthma control, yet children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face additional barriers to proper inhaler use. Smart inhalers, a novel technology that provides guidance and immediate feedback on inhaler use techniques, have been shown to enhance correct medication administration in the typically developing pediatric population, but their effectiveness has not been evaluated on the pediatric IDD population. This study aims to investigate whether daily application of smart inhalers (1) is feasible and acceptable in the IDD population, (2) improves the rate of correct medication administration, and (3) results in improvement in lung function. This effort aims to promote better asthma management in the IDD population.

Detailed description

The study is a single-blinded randomized-controlled pilot trial with a goal of 30 participants ages 10-17 years diagnosed with IDD and moderate-to-severe asthma. Subjects are recruited from subspecialty clinics and a primary care FQHC at a large, urban academic children's hospital. Participants in the intervention group are assigned to use smart inhalers daily for 8 weeks, and the control group receives standard asthma education. All participants attend three visits over 8 weeks, each scheduled four weeks apart. Primary outcomes, feasibility and acceptability, are assessed by data completeness and satisfaction surveys. Secondary outcomes, the Inhaler Proficiency Scales, are measured by the smart inhaler and by a trained observer and analyzed by Spearman's correlation test. Tertiary outcomes, Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1) in one second, and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), are measured by a spirometer. Demographics and outcomes are reported as frequencies (%), mean (SD), or median (IQR). Analyses will utilize generalized linear mixed-effects models to account for the within-participant correlation.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALUse of smart inhaler to enhance asthma inhaler proficiency

The application of the smart inhaler technology to enhance asthma inhaler proficiency

Sponsors

Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Participants must meet all of the inclusion criteria to participate in this study: * Adolescents ages 10-17 years * Diagnosis of mild-to-moderate intellectual disability: ICD-10: F70-F71 and/or diagnosis of developmental disability, including autism: ICD-10: F80-89 * Diagnosis of moderate-to-severe asthma or moderate or severe unspecified asthma: ICD-10: J45.40-J45.909 * Parent/legal guardian is willing to answer questions about their child. * Parent/legal guardian and adolescent must have the ability to understand study procedures and to comply with them for the entire length of the study * English or Spanish-speaking participants * Not involved in other studies using digital inhalers * Males and females of reproductive capability will be enrolled: contraception is not necessary or required. * Participants must use any of the following MDIs (as indicated by the 510(k): Ventolin HFA, ProAir HFA, Advair HFA, Flovent HFA, Xopenex HFA, Symbicort HFA, Atrovent HFA, Proventil HFA, Alvesco HFA, Dulera HFA, and Asmanex HFA.

Exclusion criteria

All candidates meeting any of the

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Feasibility of smart inhaler deviceWeeks 1-8Feasibility will be determined by data completeness: Ratio of days on which there are valid smart inhaler data out of the total number of days
Acceptability of smart inhalerWeeks 4 and 8Acceptability will be measured by response rate on user satisfaction survey.
Usability of smart inhalerWeeks 4 and 8Usability will be measured by ease of use smart inhaler survey.

Countries

United States

Contacts

Primary ContactSophia Park, MD
soppark@chla.usc.edu323-669-2534
Backup ContactAlexis Deavenport-Saman, DrPH, MPH
adeavenport@chla.usc.edu323-361-2994

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026