Review: metered dose inhalers with a holding chamber do not differ from nebulisers for hospital admission rates in asthmaHolding chambers versus nebulisers for beta-agonist treatment of acute asthma.

Bruce, Susan A ANP, MS (commentator)
Scherer, Yvonne K RN, EdD (commentator)
Cates, CC
Bara, A
Crilly, JA
et al,

School of Nursing, University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York, USA

Cates CC, Bara A, Crilly JA, et al. Holding chambers versus nebulisers for beta-agonist treatment of acute asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;(3):CD000052.CatesCCBaraACrillyJAet alHolding chambers versus nebulisers for beta-agonist treatment of acute asthma.Cochrane Database Syst Rev20033CD000052Q In patients with acute asthma, is inhalation of β₂ agonists from a metered dose inhaler (MDI) with a holding chamber more effective than inhalation from a nebuliser for reducing hospital admission rates or duration of inpatient stay?

For correspondence: Dr C Cates, Manor View Practice, Bushey Health Centre, Bushey, Hertfordshire, UK. [email protected]

Sources of funding: Garfield Weston Foundation, UK and Canadian Institute on Health Research (CIHR), Ottawa, Canada.

Evidence-Based Nursing 7(1):p 12, January 2004.