Comparative efficacy of inhaled albuterol between two hand-held delivery devices in horses with recurrent airway obstruction.
Authors: Bertin F R, Ivester K M, Couëtil L L
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Aerosolised Albuterol Delivery in Equine RAO: Device Comparison Study Ten horses with experimentally induced recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) were exposed to a dusty environment and mouldy hay, then treated with inhaled albuterol (180 µg doses administered via pressurised metered dose inhaler) using two different commercially available hand-held aerosol delivery devices in a randomised, crossover design with 24-hour washout between treatments. Both devices produced significant and rapid bronchodilation, with no statistically significant difference in pulmonary function outcomes between them; the median dose required to achieve 50% maximal bronchodilation was approximately 173–228 µg depending on device, and complete bronchodilation was typically achieved at around 540 µg total dose. Although Device 1 showed a trend towards greater reduction in lung resistance (P = 0.066), this did not reach statistical significance, suggesting the two devices are functionally equivalent for clinical purposes. For practitioners selecting delivery devices, these findings indicate that efficacy should not be a differentiating factor, allowing choice to be based on cost, availability, patient tolerance, and user familiarity rather than therapeutic performance. The rapid bronchodilation observed across both devices reinforces albuterol's clinical utility in managing acute RAO episodes, though practitioners should note this study used experimentally induced obstruction rather than naturally occurring disease.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Either of the two tested hand-held aerosol delivery devices can be used effectively for delivering albuterol to RAO horses with equivalent clinical outcomes
- •Practitioners can expect maximal bronchodilation in RAO cases at approximately 540 µg total albuterol dose regardless of device choice
- •Choice of delivery device can be based on availability, cost, or client preference without compromising therapeutic efficacy
Key Findings
- •Aerosolised albuterol induced significant and rapid bronchodilation in horses with RAO using both delivery devices tested
- •No statistically significant difference in pulmonary function was observed between the two commercially available aerosol delivery devices (P = 0.26 for 50% maximal bronchodilation dose)
- •Average dose of 540 µg albuterol achieved maximal bronchodilation in horses with RAO
- •Device 1 showed a trend toward more pronounced lung resistance decrease compared to Device 2 (P = 0.066)