Objective: To validate two scores quantifying the ability of patients to use metered dose inhalers (MDIs) or dry powder inhalers (DPIs); to identify the most common errors made during their use; and to identify the patients in need of an educational program for the use of these devices. Methods: This study was conducted in three phases: validation of the reliability of the inhaler technique scores; validation of the contents of the two scores using a convenience sample; and testing for criterion validation and discriminant validation of these instruments in patients who met the inclusion criteria. Results: The convenience sample comprised 16 patients. Interobserver disagreement was found in 19% and 25% of the DPI and MDI scores, respectively. After expert analysis on the subject, the scores were modified and were applied in 72 patients. The most relevant difficulty encountered during the use of both types of devices was the maintenance of total lung capacity after a deep inhalation. The degree of correlation of the scores by observer was 0.97 (p < 0.0001). There was good interobserver agreement in the classification of patients as able/not able to use a DPI (50%/50% and 52%/58%; p < 0.01) and an MDI (49%/51% and 54%/46%; p < 0.05). Conclusions: The validated scores allow the identification and correction of inhaler technique errors during consultations and, as a result, improvement in the management of inhalation devices.

Keywords: Asthma; Dry powder inhalers; Metered dose inhalers; Validation studies.

Objective: To evaluate knowledge of and techniques for using prescribed inhalation devices among patients with asthma or COPD treated at a tertiary teaching hospital. Methods: Patients were assessed after medical visits, and their physicians were blinded to this fact. Patients were asked to demonstrate their inhaler technique and were then interviewed regarding their knowledge of inhalation devices, control of the disease and instructions received during medical visits. Results: We included 120 volunteers: 60 with asthma and 60 with COPD. All of the asthma patients and 98.3% of the COPD patients claimed to know how to use inhaled medications. In the sample as a whole, 113 patients (94.2%) committed at least one error when using the inhalation device. Patients committed more errors when using metered-dose inhalers than when using the dry-powder inhalers Aerolizer® (p < 0.001) or Pulvinal® (p < 0.001), as well as committing more errors when using the Aerolizer® inhaler than when using the Pulvinal® inhaler (p < 0.05). Using the metered-dose, Pulvinal® and Aerolizer® inhalers, the COPD group patients committed more errors than did the asthma group patients (p = 0.0023, p = 0.0065 and p = 0.012, respectively). Conclusions: Although the majority of the patients claimed to know how to use inhalation devices, the fact that 94.2% committed at least one error shows that their technique was inappropriate and reveals a discrepancy between understanding and practice. Therefore, it is not sufficient to ask patients whether they know how to use inhalation devices. Practical measures should be taken in order to minimize errors and optimize treatment.

Keywords: Metered dose inhalers; Nebulizers and vaporizers; Asthma; Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive.

Acceptability, preference, tolerance and clinical efficacy of dipropionate beclomethasone delivered by two inhalation devices in chronic asthma patients: Clenil pulvinal versus Miflasona Aerolizer Background: Approximately half of all asthmatic patients adhere to their prescribed treatment regimen, which makes noncompliance with treatment one of the main problems associated with the disease. It is possible that inhalation devices combining technological advances with comfort and simplicity of use could increase treatment compliance. Objective: To compare the acceptability of and preference for two inhalation devices (Pulvinal and Aerolizer), as well as to evaluate the efficacy of and tolerance for beclomethasone dipropionate when delivered by these two systems. Method: A multicenter, randomized, crossover parallel study was carried out involving 83 patients with stable asthma. Patients received 500-1000 g/day of beclomethasone dipropionate. After a 2-week run in, the patients were randomized to begin a 4-week crossover treatment period with equivalent doses of Clenil Pulvinal (CP) or Miflasona Aerolizer (MA). Results: Both groups showed improvement in dyspnea and FEV1, and acceptability was considered good or excellent in both groups. Of the patients studied, 50.6% preferred CP, and 39% preferred MA. In their future treatment regimes, 54.5% would choose the CP and 37.7% the MA. Conclusion: Clinical efficacy and acceptability were comparable between CP and MA.

Keywords: Asthma/therapy. Beclomethasone/ administration & dosage. Randomized controlled trials. Treatment Outcome.

Objective: To develop and validate an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in adult asthma patients in Brazil. Methods: A 34-item self-report questionnaire was constructed and administered to adult asthma patients and adult controls. The maximum total score was 34. Results: The questionnaire was shown to be discriminatory, with good reliability and reproducibility. The mean score for asthma patients and controls was, respectively, 21.47 ± 4.11 (range: 9-31) and 17.27 ± 5.11 (range: 7-28; p < 0.001). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.53, and the Bartlett's test of sphericity demonstrated a satisfactory suitability of the data to factor analysis (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the total scores obtained in the first and in the second application of the questionnaire within a two-week interval (p = 0.43). The internal consistency reliability (KR-20 coefficient) was 0.69. Conclusions: This study has validated an asthma knowledge questionnaire for use in Brazil.

Keywords: Asthma; Questionnaires; Validation studies; Reproducibility of results.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a Portuguese-language version of the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) for use in Brazil. Methods: The steps involved in creating the ESS in Brazilian Portuguese (ESS-BR) were as follows: translation; back-translation; comparison (by a committee) between the translation and the back-translation; and testing in bilingual individuals. The ESS-BR was applied to a group of patients who were submitted to overnight polysomnography in order to identify obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), insomnia and primary snoring. A control group was composed of subjects with a history of normal sleep habits, without reported snoring. Results: A total of 114 patients and 21 controls were included. The 8-item scores of the ESS-BR had an overall reliability coefficient of 0.83. The study group was composed of 59 patients with OSAHS, 34 patients with primary snoring and 21 patients with insomnia. One-way ANOVA demonstrated significant differences in ESS-BR scores among the four diagnostic groups (p < 0.001). Post-hoc tests between groups showed that the ESS-BR scores of the patients with insomnia did not differ from those of the controls (p > 0.05). The ESS-BR scores were significantly higher for OSAHS patients and for primary snorers than for controls (p < 0.05). In addition, the scores for OSAHS patients were significantly higher than were those for primary snorers (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrate that the ESS-BR is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of daytime sleepiness, equivalent to its original version when applied to individuals who speak Brazilian Portuguese.

Keywords: Validation studies; Sleep disorders; Cross-cultural comparison; Disorders of excessive somnolence.

Objective: To develop and validate a Portuguese-language version of the Asthma Control Test (ACT) for use in Brazil. Methods: The study comprised 290 asthma outpatients over 12 years of age. The patients completed the ACT questionnaire and had an appointment with a pulmonologist in order to assess asthma control in two visits. In the first visit, the patients also underwent spirometry. The second visit took place at least four weeks later. Results: We found that a cut-off score of 18 points-to differentiate between subjects with controlled asthma and those with uncontrolled asthma-had a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 74%, a negative predictive value of 86% and a positive predictive value of 85%. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 3.58 and 0.09, respectively. The questionnaire has an outstanding capacity to differentiate uncontrolled asthma from controlled asthma, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.904. The patients whose symptoms remained stable between the two visits had similar scores, demonstrating good test-retest reproducibility, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.93. The patients whose symptoms improved in the second visit had significantly higher scores, demonstrating good responsiveness of the questionnaire in the identification of changes in disease control. Conclusions: The Portuguese-language version of the ACT showed good test-retest reproducibility and was capable of discriminating the levels of asthma control and detecting changes in asthma control in a population of patients with a low level of education and low family income at a public health facility in Brazil.

Keywords: Asthma; Questionnaires; Validation studies; Signs and symptoms.

Objective: To validate a Portuguese-language version of the COPD assessment test (CAT) for use in Brazil and to assess the reproducibility of this version. Methods: This was multicenter study involving patients with stable COPD at two teaching hospitals in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. Two independent observers (twice in one day) administered the Portuguese-language version of the CAT to 50 patients with COPD. One of those observers again administered the scale to the same patients one week later. At baseline, the patients were submitted to pulmonary function testing and the six-minute walk test (6MWT), as well as completing the previously validated Portuguese-language versions of the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea scale, and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Results: Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.97; p < 0.001; and ICC = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; p < 0.001, respectively). Bland & Altman plots showed good test-retest reliability. The CAT total score correlated significantly with spirometry results, 6MWT distance, SGRQ scores, MMRC dyspnea scale scores, and HADS-depression scores. Conclusions: The Portuguese-language version of the CAT is a valid, reproducible, and reliable instrument for evaluating patients with COPD in Brazil.

Keywords: Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Questionnaires; Validation studies; Quality of life; Reproducibility of results.

Asthma is characterized by variable airflow obstruction, hyperresponsiveness of airways to endogenous or exogenous stimuli and inflammation. Inadequacy of the techniques to use different inhalation devices is a cause of no response to treatment. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate how 20 medical students, 36 resident physicians on Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, and 40 asthma patients used three devices for inhalation therapy containing placebo. All patients were followed at the Pulmonary Outpatient Service of Botucatu Medical School and had been using inhaled medication during the last six months. The following devices were evaluated: metered dose inhalers (MDI), dry powder inhalers (DPI), and MDI attached to a spacer device. A single observer applied a protocol containing the main steps necessary to obtain a good inhaler technique to follow and grade the use of different devices. Health care professionals tested all three devices and patients tested only the device being used on their management. MDI was the device best known by doctors and patients. MDI use was associated with errors related to the coordination between inspiration and device activation. Failure do exhale completely before inhalation of the powder was the more frequent error observed with DPI use. In summary, patients have not been receiving repeated instruction on how to use inhaled medication and health care professionals are not well prepared to adequately teach their patients.

Objective: To evaluate the use of inhaler devices by patients with severe asthma treated via the Programa para o Controle da Asma e Rinite Alérgica na Bahia (ProAR, Bahia State Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis Control Program), recording the frequency of their errors in performing key steps and the relationship between such errors and the lack of asthma control. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 467 patients enrolled in the ProAR in the city of Salvador, Brazil. The devices evaluated were metered dose inhalers (MDIs), with or without a spacer, and dry powder inhalers (DPIs; Pulvinal® or Aerolizer®). For the assessment of the inhalation technique, a checklist was used; the patients were asked to demonstrate the technique so that an interviewer could observe all of the steps performed. For the assessment of asthma control, we used the 6-item asthma control questionnaire. Results: Most of the patients showed appropriate inhalation techniques when using the devices. When using an MDI, few patients made mistakes in the key step of "coordinating activation and inhalation" (5.2% and 9.1% with and without the use of a spacer, respectively). During Pulvinal® use, 39% of the patients did not inhale quickly and deeply, compared with only 5.8% during Aerolizer® use. Of the patients that made use of Aerolizer® alone, 71.3% appropriately performed all of the essential steps, and their asthma was controlled. Conclusions: Most of the patients in this sample, all of whom had been submitted to periodic checks of their inhalation technique (as part of the program), used the devices appropriately. Proper inhalation technique is associated with asthma symptom control.

Keywords: Asthma; Administration, inhalation; Metered dose inhalers; Dry powdered inhalers.

Objective: Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are common causes of hospitalization. Various scoring systems have been proposed to classify the risk of clinical deterioration or mortality in hospitalized patients with AECOPD. We sought to investigate whether clinical deterioration and mortality scores at admission can predict adverse events occurring during hospitalization and after discharge of patients with AECOPD. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients admitted with AECOPD. The National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2), the NEWS288-92%, the Dyspnea, Eosinopenia, Consolidation, Acidemia, and atrial Fibrillation (DECAF) score, and the modified DECAF (mDECAF) score were calculated at admission. We assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and overall performance of the scores for the following outcomes: in-hospital mortality; need for invasive mechanical ventilation or noninvasive ventilation (NIV); long hospital stays; hospital readmissions; and future AECOPD. Results: We included 119 patients admitted with AECOPD. The median age was 75 years, and 87.9% were male. The NEWS288-92% was associated with an 8.9% reduction in the number of individuals classified as requiring close, continuous observation, without an increased risk of death in the group of individuals classified as being low-risk patients. The NEWS288-92% and NEWS2 scores were found to be adequate in predicting the need for acute NIV and longer hospital stays. The DECAF and mDECAF scores were found to be better at predicting in-hospital mortality than the NEWS2 and NEWS288-92%. Conclusions: The NEWS288-92% safely reduces the need for clinical monitoring in patients with AECOPD when compared with the NEWS2. The NEWS2 and NEWS288-92% appear to be good predictors of the length of hospital stay and need for NIV, but they do not replace the DECAF and mDECAF scores as predictors of mortality.

Keywords: Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive/mortality; Symptom flare up; Early warning score; Length of stay; Patient readmission.

Abstract Objective: To determine the validity and reproducibility of two subjective instruments to assess limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Brazil: the Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea ­Questionnaire ‑ ­Modified version (PFSDQ-M) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. Methods: Thirty patients with COPD (age, 67 ± 10 years; males, 17; forced expiratory volume in one second, 42% ± 13% of predicted) completed the Portuguese-language versions of the two instruments on two occasions, one week apart. The PFSDQ-M has three components: influence of dyspnea on ADLs, influence of fatigue on ADLs and change experienced by the patient with ADLs. The MRC scale is simple, with only five items, in which patients report the degree to which dyspnea limits their performance of ADLs. The traditional Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), previously validated for use in Brazil, was used as a validation criterion. Results: The test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) of the PFSDQ-M was 0.93, 0.92 and 0.90 for the dyspnea, fatigue and change components, respectively, compared with 0.83 for the MRC scale. Bland-Altman plots showed good test-retest concordance for the PFSDQ-M. The components of the PFSDQ-M and the MRC scale correlated significantly with all of the domains and the total score on the SGRQ (0.49 < r < 0.80; p < 0.01 for all). Conclusions: The Portuguese-language versions of the PFSDQ-M and the MRC scale proved reproducible and valid for use in patients with COPD in Brazil.

Keywords: Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Activities of daily living; Validation studies.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of passive inhalation of cigarette smoke on the respiratory system of guinea pigs. Methods: Male guinea pigs were divided into two groups: control and passive smoking, the latter being exposed to the smoke of ten cigarettes for 20 min in the morning, afternoon and evening (30 cigarettes/day) for five days. After that period, inflammatory parameters were studied by quantifying mesenteric mast cell degranulation, as well as oxidative stress, in BAL fluid. In addition, we determined MIP, MEP, and mucociliary transport (in vivo), as well as tracheal contractility response (in vitro). Results: In comparison with the control group, the passive smoking group showed a significant increase in mast cell degranulation (19.75 ± 3.77% vs. 42.53 ± 0.42%; p < 0.001) and in the levels of reduced glutathione (293.9 ± 19.21 vs. 723.7 ± 67.43 nM/g of tissue; p < 0.05); as well as a significant reduction in mucociliary clearance (p < 0.05), which caused significant changes in pulmonary function (in MIP and MEP; p < 0.05 for both) and airway hyperreactivity. Conclusions: Passive inhalation of cigarette smoke caused significant increases in mast cell degranulation and oxidative stress. This inflammatory process seems to influence the decrease in mucociliary transport and to cause changes in pulmonary function, leading to tracheal hyperreactivity.

Keywords: Inflammation; Inhalation exposure; Tobacco smoke pollution.

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the use of portable monitoring devices for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These have the potential to be used in lieu of the more complicated and uncomfortable alternative, polysomnography, which has long been considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of this relatively prevalent condition. Following their approval in 2008 by the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency which administers Medicare and Medicaid in the United States, there has been extensive discussion about the utility and validity of these devices for use in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Although there are various models of portable monitoring devices, the literature contains little information regarding how each device should be used in specific age groups, patients presenting comorbidities, and asymptomatic patients. Additionally, studies about the cost-effectiveness of this diagnostic method are scarce and conflicting. Therefore, this objective of this study was to review what has been learned about portable monitoring devices over time, as well as to examine the recent progress, advantages, limitations, and applications of these devices in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in different groups of patients.

Keywords: Sleep apnea, obstructive/diagnosis; Polysomnography; Diagnostic equipment; Monitoring, ambulatory.

Climate change is a huge and present threat to human health. This article aims to deepen the knowledge about the environmental impact of inhaler devices on their carbon footprint for patients and health professionals, providing information that allows a better choice of the type of device to be prescribed for the treatment of asthma and COPD. This narrative and nonsystematic review was carried out by searching databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, SciELO, and EMBASE) for articles published between 2017 and 2022, written in Portuguese or in English, using the search words "inhalation device" OR "environmental." The review showed that global warming cannot be addressed by focusing only on inhaler devices. However, the devices that we use to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD, which are diseases that are aggravated by climate change, are also causing that change. Therefore, health professionals, patient organizations, and industries should take a lead in health policies to offer affordable alternatives to inhalers containing hydrofluoroalkane.

Keywords: Asthma; Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Environmental health; Nebulizers and vaporizers.

Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the official Brazilian Portuguese-language version of the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) in a representative group of Brazilian children and adolescents with asthma. Methods: A total of 125 individuals with asthma, aged 8-17 years and being monitored at a pediatric pulmonology outpatient clinic in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, completed the PAQLQ. Validity was assessed by means of convergent validity (correlation between PAQLQ domains and those of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0. Reliability was assessed by determining internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient), sensitivity to change (effect size), and discriminatory power (floor/ceiling effects). Results: The mean age was 11 years, and 75 (60%) of the participants were male. The mean PAQLQ total score was 5.1, with floor/ceiling effects < 10%. Correlations between PAQLQ domains and the PedsQL 4.0 domains were acceptable (r = 0.37-0.40). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total score was 0.93, ranging from 0.72 to 0.88 for the domains. The overall effect size was 0.60 (range: 0.45-0.60), whereas the overall intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.80 (range: 0.66-0.79). Conclusions: The official Brazilian Portuguese-language version of the PAQLQ showed good psychometric performance, confirming its cultural adequacy for use in Brazil.

Keywords: Keywords: Quality of life; Asthma; Validation studies.

There are many preparations for tobacco use, which can be classified as smoking or smokeless tobacco. Among the noncigarette preparations that produce smoke, we cite cigars, pipes and narghiles. Smokeless tobacco can be found in preparations for chewing or for being absorbed by nasal and oral mucosae (snuff). However, all tobacco products deliver nicotine to the central nervous system, and there is a confirmed risk of dependence. In addition, there is no safe form of tobacco use, and tobacco users have a significantly increased risk of morbidity and premature mortality due to tobacco-related diseases.

Keywords: Smoking; Tobacco; Tobacco, smokeless; Tobacco industry; Nicotine.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess performance in the Brazilian Lung Cancer Registry Database by using the parsimonious EuroLung risk models for morbidity and mortality. Methods: The EuroLung1 and EuroLung2 models were tested and evaluated through calibration (calibration plot, Brier score, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test) and discrimination (ROC AUCs), in a national multicenter registry of 1,031 patients undergoing anatomic lung resection. Results: The evaluation of performance in Brazilian health care facilities utilizing risk-adjustment models, specifically EuroLung1 and EuroLung2, revealed substantial miscalibration, as evidenced by calibration plots and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests in both models. In terms of calibration, EuroLung1 exhibited a calibration plot with overlapping points, characterized by a slope of 1.11 and a Brier score of 0.15; the Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded a statistically significant p-value of 0.015; and the corresponding ROC AUC was 0.678 (95% CI: 0.636-0.721). The EuroLung2 model displayed better calibration, featuring fewer overlapping points in the calibration plot, with a slope of 1.22, with acceptable discrimination, as indicated by a ROC AUC of 0.756 (95% CI: 0.670-0.842). Both models failed to accurately predict morbidity and mortality outcomes in this specific health care context. Conclusions: Discrepancies between the EuroLung model predictions and outcomes in Brazil underscore the need for model refinement and for a probe into inefficiencies in the Brazilian health care system. (Plataforma Brasil identifier: 16424413.2.1001.0065. [https://plataformabrasil.saude.gov.br/])

Keywords: Quality of health care; Models, statistical; Public health; Morbidity; Lung neoplasms.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of mortality and cardiometabolic diseases. The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a tool to screen populations at risk of OSA and prioritize complementary studies. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical utility of this questionnaire in identifying patients at an increased risk of mortality after discharge in a cohort of hospitalized patients. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study involving consecutive patients admitted to an internal medicine unit between May and June of 2017 who were reevaluated three years after discharge. At baseline, we collected data on comorbidities (hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and fasting lipid profile) and calculated STOP-Bang scores, defining the risk of OSA (0-2 score, no risk; = 3 score, risk of OSA; and = 5 score, risk of moderate-to-severe OSA), which determined the study groups. We also recorded data regarding all-cause and cardiovascular mortality at the end of the follow-up period. Results: The sample comprised 435 patients. Of those, 352 (80.9%) and 182 (41.8%) had STOP-Bang scores = 3 and = 5, respectively. When compared with the group with STOP-Bang scores of 0-2, the two groups showed higher prevalences of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Multivariate analysis showed an independent association between cardiovascular mortality and STOP-Bang score = 5 (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.12 [95% CI, 1.39-7.03]; p = 0.01). Additionally, previous coronary heart disease was also associated with cardiovascular mortality. Conclusions: In this cohort of hospitalized patients, STOP-Bang scores = 5 were able to identify patients at an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality three years after discharge.

Keywords: Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; Risk assessment; Surveys and questionnaires; Cardiovascular diseases/mortality.