Bedfont has donated a monitor designed to improve asthma care to local charity and asthma advice service, Medway Asthma Self-Help (MASH)
With asthma becoming an increasing concern, medical device manufacturer, Bedfont Scientific Ltd., has donated a fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) monitor to local charity MASH, which specialises providing information and support to asthma sufferers and their families.
Asthma, a chronic respiratory disease that causes difficulty in breathing1, is estimated to affect 5.4 million people in the UK, which is among the highest asthma rates in the world, and was responsible for more than 1400 deaths last year; an increase of 8% on equivalent Asthma UK figures for 20172. Further data from The Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows deaths from asthma attacks are at the highest point for a decade and have increased by more than 33% over the last ten years3. The National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD), commissioned 5 years ago, found that two-thirds of asthma deaths could have been prevented by better basic care3, something that Bedfont is now hoping to achieve with the NObreath® FeNO monitor.
Conformed to ATS and ERS guidelines4, Bedfont’s NObreath® is ideal for patients and GPs as it uses quick, easy and non-invasive breath analysis to aid in the diagnosis and management of asthma. Interpreting FeNO levels aids in identifying patients who do/do not require on-going treatment5, helps to assess inhaler technique, aids in differentiating between allergic (eosinophilic) and non-allergic asthma6, and if used daily, FeNO measurements can help to predict exacerbations and attacks7.
MASH, based in Gillingham, has been established since 1996 and helps asthma patients in the Medway Council area by providing information on asthma, and, in close cooperation with Primary Care and other NHS services, a diagnostic and management service for adults and children. The charity offers appointments with a specialist asthma nurse, offers asthma allergy testing and lung function testing, and provides advice on treatment and using inhalers.
Jason Smith, Managing Director at Bedfont, explains, “With asthma related deaths at an all-time high, FeNO monitoring needs to be included in basic asthma care more than ever. We have decided to donate a NObreath® to MASH, which is great charity that supports people in our local community, some of whom actually work for Bedfont. Hopefully with a NObreath to aid their services, more people can receive a quick diagnosis and more detailed treatment after knowing their FeNO levels and their asthma subtype has been differentiated.”
Dr Martin Farebrother, a Trustee of MASH, adds, “As a retired physician specialising in respiratory medicine, I am only too well aware of the difficulties of diagnosis and management in some asthmatics. Measurement of FeNO has added significantly to the ability to determine the correct diagnosis and the best care. Bedfont are leaders in this field and their monitor is recognised as meeting the highest standards. At MASH we welcome this generous donation from Bedfont, and we look forward to working with them to improve our ability to provide the best service to these people. This cooperation is especially appropriate because they are a locally based company.”
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References
1. Asthma [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2018 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs307/en/
2. Asthma Data Visualisations | Asthma UK [Internet]. Asthma UK. 2019 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: https://www.asthma.org.uk/support-us/campaigns/data-visualisations/
3. OnMedica – News – Asthma deaths have risen by a third over past decade in England and Wales [Internet]. Onmedica.com. 2019 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: https://www.onmedica.com/newsarticle.aspx?id=ed8553f5-83c2-4ea2-9f87-a9c23ec446c6
4. ATS/ERS Recommendations for Standardized Procedures for the Online and Offline Measurement of Exhaled Lower Respiratory Nitric Oxide and Nasal Nitric Oxide, 2005; American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; vol. 171: 912-930;2005
5. Andrew D. Smith, Jan O. Cowan, Sue Filsell, Chris MacLachlan, Gabrielle Monti-Sheehan, Pamela Jackson and D. Robin Taylor. Diagnosing Asthma: Comparisons between Exhaled Nitric Oxide Measurements and Conventional Tests. Am J Respir Crit Care Med Vol 169. pp 473-478, 2004.
6. Coumou HBel E. Improving the diagnosis of eosinophilic asthma [Internet]. Taylor and Francis online. 2017 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17476348.2017.1236688
7. Harkins M. Exhaled Nitric Oxide Predicts Asthma Exacerbation [Internet]. Taylor & Francis. 2017 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/JAS-120033990