Asthmagram

The Asthmagram device is a 4 x 2 x 0.8 cm recorder housed in a 6 x 2 cm elongated patch, shaped like a Band-Aid. It is placed at the suprasternal notch, straddled over the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles on either end, on top of the trachea. This placement will (1) maximize the capture of breath sounds from both lungs, including wheezes and coughs; (2) enable detection of suprasternal retractions; (3) provide accurate assessment of body posture and movement. The patch is water-resistant, so the child can shower or bath with the patch on. The adhesive beneath the patch provides attachment to the skin for 7 days. The device can be wirelessly connected to mobile devices, which can display and send alerts.

Once Asthmagram test is ordered by clinicians, the nurse prepares the child’s skin and places the patch. The child wears the patch continuously for up to 7 days, then removes the patch and puts it in the return envelope. Upon arrival at our center, the operator downloads and analyzes the recordings by computer algorithms, and generates an “Asthmagram Report”. The report is sent to the ordering physician immediately by mail or by a HIPAA-enabled email server for his/her review and diagnosis. By quantitating the frequency of daytime and nocturnal wheezing and coughs, practitioners can objectively assess symptom control and tailor therapy accordingly. Furthermore, Asthmagram enables accurate exercise and post-exercise assessment of wheezing.