DELIVERY OF MICRONIZED BUDESONIDE SUSPENSION BY METERED DOSE INHALER AND JET NEBULIZER INTO A NEONATAL VENTILATOR CIRCUIT

We compared the delivery of a micronized suspension of budesonide by a metered dose inhaler (MDI) with two different spacers (Aerochamber and Aerovent) and by two jet nebulizers (MAD2 and Ultravent) to a ventilated neonatal test-lung using a standard neonatal ventilator circuit. The combination of MDI and Aerochamber was significantly better at delivering budesonide to a filter in front of the test lung (14.2% of aerosolized dose) than were either the MDI and Aerovent (3.6%) or the Ultravent or MAD2 jet nebulizers (0.02% and 0.68% of initial reservoir dose). Of the droplets emerging from the MDI, Aerochamber, and ET tubs, 18% of the initial dose was in droplets < 4.7-mu-m. Assuming that the test-lung model accurately reflects in vivo deposition, the combination of MDI and Aerochamber appears to be an extremely effective way of delivering budesonide aerosol to ventilated newborn infants.