Air Humidity May Influence the Aerosol Distribution of Normal Saline Administered by Closed or Vented Nebulizers Operated Continuously or Dosimetrically

摘要

In clinical practice the majority of inhaled agents require deposition in the most distant regions of the bronchial tree. Contrary to this, it is likely that morphine delivery in breathlessness and chronic cough should be directed to the tracheobronchial area. The aim of the present study was to assess how an environmental condition such as air humidity might influence the particle distribution of normal saline administered by closed or vented nebulizers operated continuously or dosimetrically. Aerosol generated as a saline solution was assessed for BCTS-S (Bronchial Control Treatment System-Sidestream) and BCTS-MC (Bronchial Control Treatment System-Micro Cirrus), together with two pneumatic delivery systems: Pneumatic rnhalation-Sidestream (PI-S) and Pneumatic Inhalation-Micro Cirrus (PI-MC). To clarify the influence of humidity on the aerosol we introduced a fifth method, BCTS-S/C, which included a vented nebulizer operated continuously. The impact of different air humidity on the size of particles was examined. Only in the case of the vented methods (BCTS-S and BCTS-S/C) of nebulization did air humidifying lead to a significant enlargement of particle size. Moreover, the mean particle size at 90% was almost twice as large with the use of BCTS-S than with BCTS-S/C. Our experiment demonstrated that ambient humidity has a greater effect on particle size with vented rather than nonvented nebulizers and the effect might be potentiated by the pulsative method of nebulization.