A Review of Portable Electronic Spirometers: Implications for Asthma Self-Management

Although portable electronic spirometers allow for at-home lung function monitoring, a comprehensive review of these devices has not yet been conducted. We conducted a systematic search and review of commercially available portable electronic spirometers designed for asthma patient use. All devices (N = 16) allowed for monitoring of basic lung function parameters, but only 31% provided in-app videos on how to perform breathing maneuvers. Most devices (63%) provided graphical representations of lung function results, but only 44% gave immediate feedback on the quality of the breathing maneuver. Several devices (25%) were FDA-approved and cost ranged from US$99 to $1390. Information on data security (63%), measurement accuracy (50%), and association with patient outcomes (0%) was commonly limited. This review found that providers' ability to make informed decisions about whether asthma patients may benefit from portable electronic spirometers is limited due to lack of patient outcome data.