Sustainable Inhaler Prescribing in Intermediate Care Units (INHAVERD)

November 11, 2026 updated by: Consorci Sanitari de l'Alt Penedès i Garraf

Potential of Intermediate Care Units to Reduce Environmental Impact Through Sustainable Inhaler Prescribing: a Quasi-experimental Study of a Multidisciplinary Clinical Intervention

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a multidisciplinary review of inhaler treatment can increase the use of inhalers with a lower environmental impact in adults admitted to intermediate care units who use inhalers. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does the intervention change the percentage of each type of inhaler prescribed (pressurized metered-dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers, and soft mist inhalers) between admission and discharge?
  • Does the intervention improve treatment adherence and inhaler technique, reduce the use of rescue inhalers, and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions? Researchers will compare patients cared for by physicians who apply the intervention with patients cared for by physicians who do not yet apply it, to see if more patients switch to inhalers with a lower environmental impact.

Participants will:

  • Have their inhaler prescription reviewed by a physician, who may change it when clinically appropriate, taking environmental impact into account
  • Have their adherence and inhaler technique assessed by a healthcare professional
  • Receive individual education on how to use their inhalers, if needed

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The health sector generates about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), which contain propellants with a high global warming potential, are a relevant part of this footprint. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and soft mist inhalers (SMIs) are more sustainable alternatives. In 2025, the Spanish Ministry of Health issued recommendations on sustainable inhaler prescribing that include reviewing the indication, optimizing inhaler technique and adherence, and switching to lower-impact devices when appropriate.

This quasi-experimental study with two arms and stepped implementation over three periods will be conducted in the intermediate care units of Hospital Sant Antoni Abat. Allocation is determined by the treating geriatrician: patients of two of the four geriatricians form group 1 and those of the other two form group 2. In period 1 (3 months, retrospective data), neither group receives the intervention; in period 2 (about 6 months), only group 2 receives it; in period 3 (about 3 months), both groups receive it.

The intervention, delivered within one week of inclusion, consists of: (1) a physician review of the inhaled therapy prescription in the electronic prescription system, with changes if needed, also considering environmental criteria; (2) assessment of adherence with the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI), classifying adherence (good, intermediate, poor) and type of non-adherence (erratic, deliberate, unwitting); (3) assessment of inhaler technique with device-specific checklists (GINA, UK Inhaler Group); and (4) individualized education and, if the device is not suitable or rescue inhaler use is excessive, a switch to a lower-impact inhaler.

The primary analysis will compare, in period 2, the percentage of prescriptions of each inhaler type at admission and at discharge. Assuming a switch from pMDI to DPI in 5% of the control group and 20% of the intervention group, 50 patients per group are needed for period 2 (two-sided alpha 0.05, power above 80%), with an expected 10% loss to follow-up. CO2 emissions will be estimated from the Spanish database on the environmental impact of inhalers. Analysts will be blinded to the study period.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
110

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Barcelona
      • Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, Spain
        • Hospital Sant Antoni Abat-Consorci Sanitari Alt Penedès Garraf (CSAPG)
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Anna Soler

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 18 years or older
  • Admitted to an intermediate care unit with a minimum stay of one week
  • Active prescription of a pressurized metered-dose inhaler in the electronic prescription system

Exclusion Criteria:

  • End-of-life situation (last days or hours of life)
  • Admission to the psychogeriatric unit

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Other: delayed intervention

Patients of two geriatricians; usual care in periods 1 and 2, multidisciplinary inhaler intervention in period 3
Other: Multidisciplinary inhaler optimization intervention

Within one week of admision, a physician reviews the inhaled therapy prescription (indication, duration) and changes it if needed, also considering environmental impact. A healthcare professional assesses adherence with the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI) and inhaler technique with device-specific checklists (GINA, UK Inhaler Group), and provides individualized education. If the device is not suitable or rescue inhaler use is excessive, the physician considers switching to a lower-impact inhaler (dry powder or soft mist inhaler).
Other: early intervention

Patients of the other two geriatricians; usual care in period 1, multidisciplinary inhaler intervention in periods 2 and 3
Other: Multidisciplinary inhaler optimization intervention

Within one week of admision, a physician reviews the inhaled therapy prescription (indication, duration) and changes it if needed, also considering environmental impact. A healthcare professional assesses adherence with the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI) and inhaler technique with device-specific checklists (GINA, UK Inhaler Group), and provides individualized education. If the device is not suitable or rescue inhaler use is excessive, the physician considers switching to a lower-impact inhaler (dry powder or soft mist inhaler).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of prescriptions of each inhaler type
Time Frame: At admission and at discharge from the intermediate care unit, maximal up to 1 year from admission

Percentage of prescriptions of pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDI), dry powder inhalers (DPI), and soft mist inhalers (SMI) in the electronic prescription system, compared between admission and discharge in the intervention and control groups during period 2.
At admission and at discharge from the intermediate care unit, maximal up to 1 year from admission

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Consorci Sanitari de l'Alt Penedès i Garraf

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 6, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 11, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 11, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CSAPG-92

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

IPD (without personal identification data) could be shared by requirement from other researchers after the end of the study, and only for research purposes and previous approval of promotor center of the study (CSAPG). Anyway, Spanish and European Union legal policy about data protection will strictly be followed (IPD will not be transferred outside European Union).

IPD Sharing Time Frame

After publication of main results of the study.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

IPD will be shared only for scientific research purposes and following the Spanish and European Union normative law about data protection. The requirements will be directed to the IP of the study. The IP will evaluate the request to verify and evaluate the data that is requested and the purposes for which it is requested. Next, the IP will transfer the request to the promotor center the study for the final decision.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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