Mesh Nebulizers Beat Jet Nebulizers in Children

According to new research, mesh nebulizers offer several advantages over jet nebulizers for the treatment of acute asthma symptoms in children who came to the ER.  The mesh nebulizers’ advantage was significant only when used with a mask, not a valve.

In this single blind trial of 217 children, there was a 48% reduction in hospital admissions among those using the mesh nebulizer rather than the jet nebulizer.

The other important finding was that the median number of treatments to achieve symptom control was 2 for the mesh nebulizer group, but 3-3.5 number of treatments in the jet nebulizer group.

In previous studies, the estimated amount of drug reaching the airways with a mesh nebulizer was twice as great as that delivered with a jet advice.  This study seemed to corroborate that advantage.

Jet nebulizers have been around longer, and have generally lower cost.

However, as a parent of a child with asthma, I think it is worthwhile to know that the mesh nebulizer is superior in efficacy of drug delivery.  Helping your child to breathe easier more quickly and saving the time for additional nebulizer treatments is definitely worth a few more dollars to get a mesh nebulizer. 

The reduction in hospital admission was also amazing.  No parents want their child to spend time in the hospital.  Almost twice as many children who used the mesh nebulizer got to go home from the ER, and not be admitted.

This research may help sway your decision when buying a new nebulizer system.