A Single Device to Manage Chronic Respiratory Diseases
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), an institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, has developed a modular respiratory health management system that uses a single device to self-diagnose and manage various chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The system was developed by a KIMM research team led by senior researcher Lee Dong-kyu of the Department of Medical Devices at the Daegu Research Center for Medical Devices and Green Energy. It allows the effective diagnosis, treatment, and management of various chronic respiratory diseases.
The modular device allows for the replacement and combination of modules between diagnosis module and treatment modules according to the purpose. Also, by using the mobile application, it can easily manage the history of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Until now, in order for the diagnosis, management, treatment, and rehabilitation of respiratory diseases, one had to visit a hospital or separately purchase expensive medical devices. However, the new system allows a continuous management of data from a single device for the multipurpose rehabilitation treatments.
The treatment module is capable of providing phototherapy, inhalation/aerosol therapy, and nebulizer therapy, and the rehabilitation module can also allow for the training of respiratory muscles for rehabilitation training.
A breath analysis module can simultaneously measure the peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory volume, FeNO (exhaled nitric oxide gas), and acetone gas concentrations, which are all essential for monitoring respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. Currently commercialized medical diagnostic devices for asthma can only measure FeNO, but the newly developed module can also measure acetone concentrations, as well as can conduct various pulmonary function tests, such as peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume per second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC).
The accuracy of exhaled gas concentration measurements was improved by applying a complex correction algorithm that utilizes data on exhaled compound gases, high expiratory flow rates, and humidity. Also, based on data collected during the monitoring process, an efficient treatment and rehabilitation guide for health management can be provided using artificial intelligence.
In preclinical trials, the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital conducted comparative experiments using the newly developed diagnostic module against pre-existing medical devices for asthma. Moving forward, there are plans to promote ongoing technological cooperation for the clinical progress and commercialization of all modules.
KIMM senior researcher Lee expressed his expectations that this newly developed technology will greatly facilitate self-management of respiratory diseases, including the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation training for patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases. He also emphasized that the research team at KIMM will continue to do its best in collaboration with industries and medical institutions to conduct the necessary research and development necessary to help people lead healthy lives.