Leicester smart inhaler study ‘could prevent asthma deaths’

New smart inhalers being tested in Leicester could reduce asthma deaths and hospital admissions, a doctor has said.

Dr. Erol Gaillard led a study on the benefits of the Hailie Smart Inhaler device, which monitors the use and technique of preventive steroid inhalers.

The data is then entered into a smartphone app, which can be used by doctors to see how often a patient uses their inhaler.

Norah, 10, from Western Park in Leicester, said she has been less breathless since she started using a smart inhaler in February.

Dr Gaillard said the study was “on track” to find 300 children aged five to 16 to test the device by the end of 2024.

The Hailie device attaches to a regular inhaler and provides audible reminders to use it, as well as providing feedback to the child and family via a smartphone app.

Dr Gaillard said: “We know that many people forget to take their asthma medication regularly and this is a major problem as it means that the disease is out of control.

“As a physician, if a patient comes to see you and their asthma is not controlled, you don’t know if you’re not prescribing enough medication or if the patient just occasionally forgets to take their medication.”

Dr Gaillard said that if the technology could be refined and scaled up widely in the NHS, he believed it would “have a big impact on asthma control, asthma attacks and even asthma deaths”.

He added: “Deaths are often caused by patients not taking their preventative steroid medication and overusing the rescue blue inhaler, so therefore if we can track patients’ use of the correct medication I think this could prevent asthma deaths and hospitalisations’.

Norah has been battling asthma since she was diagnosed at the age of five.

She said: “Since I’ve had it I’ve stopped using my (rescue inhaler) as much.

“It’s really good. I think it really helps me remember to take it.”

Her mother, Hayley, said she was “very pleased” that Norah had been prosecuted “to help her while benefiting other children”.

She added: “Norah is such a sporty little girl who is so full of life. I never want asthma to hold her back.”