[Effectiveness of a brief educational intervention relating to the correct use of inhalers on the prevention of exacerbation in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]. / Eficacia de una intervención educativa breve sobre el correcto uso de los inhaladores en la prevención de agudizaciones en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To predict the effect of a brief educational intervention aimed at improving the inhaler technique on the reduction of exacerbations in patients with COPD over a year. MATHERIAL AND METHODS: A triple blind, randomised controlled clinical trial with parallel design. INCLUSION CRITERIA to be between 40-75 years, having been diagnosed with COPD, and being on treatment with inhalers. A total of 97 patients were randomly selected. They were randomly assigned into 2groups according to their functional severity measured with spirometry. Intervention group evaluation of the inhalation technique. Their mistakes were corrected using a brief educational intervention. Reinforcement visits were made in the second and seventh month. CONTROL GROUP evaluation of the inhalation technique. No educational intervention was made. After 1 year of follow-up, the number of exacerbations in each group was checked. VARIABLES MEASURED social and demographic, study, dyspnoea level, body-mass index, tobacco use, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, COPD stage, BODEX index, number, type, and inhaler technique, number of previous exacerbations. Bayesian inference analysis was performed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients were assigned to de intervention group and 41 to the control one. There were 16 and 14 lost to follow-up, respectively. In the intervention group, 44.6% of the patients had an exacerbation, compared to the control group, with 56.1%. OR adjusted = 0.57 (95% CI 0.22-1.22). Posterior probability OR < 1 = 93%. Exacerbations which required hospital admission had an OR = 0.21 (95% CI 0.02-0.75) with posterior probability OR < 1= 99%. CONCLUSIONS: A brief educational technique is an effective method for reducing the number of exacerbations in patients with COPD.