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World J Clin Pediatr. Aug 8, 2016; 5(3): 281-287
Published online Aug 8, 2016. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v5.i3.281
Drug delivery interfaces: A way to optimize inhalation therapy in spontaneously breathing children
Arzu Ari
Arzu Ari, Department of Respiratory Therapy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303-3083, United States
Author contributions: Ari A is the sole author of this manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Ari A serves on the advisory board of Bayer Pharmaceuticals.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Arzu Ari, FAARC, PhD, PT, RRT, Department of Respiratory Therapy, Georgia State University, 140 Decatur Street Suite 1228, Atlanta, GA 30303-3083, United States. arzuari@hotmail.com
Telephone: +1-404-4131269 Fax: +1-404-4131230
Received: March 20, 2016
Peer-review started: March 22, 2016
First decision: April 20, 2016
Revised: May 3, 2016
Accepted: July 11, 2016
Article in press: July 13, 2016
Published online: August 8, 2016
Processing time: 141 Days and 19.2 Hours
Abstract

There are several different types of drug delivery interfaces available on the market. Using the right interface for aerosol drug delivery to children is essential for effective inhalation therapy. However, clinicians usually focus on selecting the right drug-device combination and often overlook the importance of interface selection that lead to suboptimal drug delivery and therapeutic response in neonates and pediatrics. Therefore, it is necessary to critically assess each interface and understand its advantage and disadvantages in aerosol drug delivery to this patient population. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical assessment of drug delivery interfaces used for the treatment of children with pulmonary diseases by emphasizing advantages and problems associated with their use during inhalation therapy.

Keywords: Aerosols; Inhalation therapy; Children; Masks; Mouthpiece; High flow nasal cannula; Blow-by; Hood; Spacer/valved holding chamber

Core tip: Many interfaces exist for aerosol drug delivery to spontaneously breathing children and inhalation therapy with different interfaces has become an important topic of interest among clinicians. However, clinicians usually focus on selecting the right drug-device combination and often overlook the importance of interface selection that lead to suboptimal drug delivery and therapeutic response in neonates and pediatrics. This paper provides a critical assessment of drug delivery interfaces used for the treatment of children with pulmonary diseases by emphasizing advantages and problems associated with their use during inhalation therapy.