Thousands Of Kiwis With Asthma Set To Benefit From New Nationwide Air Sensor Array

Thousands of Kiwis living with asthma are set to benefit from the installation of a new nationwide sensor array which will use artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real time alerts to the presence of airborne allergens.

The sensors, which will be installed on hospitals, universities and schools around the country, are part of a multi-million dollar investment in asthma management technology which aims to reduce the rate of hospitalisation and mortality from respiratory disease.

New Zealand has a high prevalence of asthma, with one in eight (12%) adults and one in seven (14%) children using medication to control the disease. NZ also has one of the highest hospital admission rates for asthma of all OECD countries.[1]

Potentially life threatening asthma exacerbations can be triggered by a range of airborne irritants and allergens - with the cost to treat the disease estimated at over $1 billion per year.[2]

The technology will use sophisticated algorithms, developed with local microbiologists, to identify and categorise different air particulates - including a range of native pollen species, mould spores and dust fragments.

In addition to helping those living with asthma prevent an exacerbation caused by an airborne allergen, the sensor data will also be used by medical researchers and academics to further scientific understanding of the burden of the disease and develop new treatments customised for the New Zealand environment.

Communication of the alerts to patients will be managed by a new mobile platform, RespiTrak, which has been developed alongside New Zealand respiratory disease academics, clinicians and tech specialists to digitise the management of asthma.

Brent Sorensen, spokesperson for RespiTrak, says new research shows when asthma is managed through digital technology and adherence to prescription medicines, exacerbations are preventable in around 50% of cases - however patients are often unaware of what triggers an attack.

He says reactions to pollen, dust and mould are among the most common causes of asthma events and yet there is little real time information available in each region, with much of the current public data based on historical averages.

“We know that asthma is the most common chronic disease among children and New Zealand has a particularly high rate of hospitalisation and mortality by international standards.[3]

“There is a growing awareness in the health care sector that to help those with asthma better control their symptoms and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions they need up-to-date information on the presence of specific allergens in their area.

“We are currently working with DHBs and other organisations to mount our sensors on their buildings which will create a nationwide array and allow us to build a comprehensive picture of air quality in any region and at any given time of the day.

“This information opens the door on a new paradigm for the management of allergen-triggered asthma in New Zealand, allowing those with the disease to respond dynamically to their environment as it changes.

“Knowing there was a high level of a particular allergen in your local area, would mean parents and schools could take immediate preventative action to protect tamariki in their care - helping them implement their asthma management plans on an individual level,” he says.

Sorensen says the installation of the air quality sensors is part of a three year, phased introduction of new asthma management technology to support the 600,000 Kiwi’s living with asthma.

“One of the primary challenges faced by clinicians is being able to monitor the signals that asthma is not being well controlled and adjust their treatment accordingly.

“We know that technology has a critical role to play in supporting the work of health care providers and this platform will support remote monitoring of respiratory symptoms - providing doctors with the information they need to better treat their patients.

“In the first iteration of RespiTrak’s development, the platform will record lung health using a digital peak flow meter - as well as the patient’s perception of their health.

“This process has also been gamified so that taking these recordings encourages regular and accurate readings.

“Connections with smart inhalers will also monitor how often a patient adheres to their prescription medicine and individualised data from the sensors will alert patients to the level of allergens in their area.

“Patients will be able to use the platform to send a preprogrammed distress message to caregivers in the event of an asthma event.

“We are also working with academics to develop new nocturnal cough recording algorithms which will also be introduced next year to track and analyse patterns which help diagnose night time asthma symptoms.

“Our work with researchers will see the integration wearable tech suitable for respiratory health which could be beneficial for diagnostics and management of asthma.

Sorensen says the New Zealand developed platform also has potential for other markets including Australia, South East Asia, the Middle East and the US.

He says asthma affects an estimated 262 million people and causes 455,000 deaths annually.

“We are working towards developing an unified, AI based digital repository to support better management of asthma.

“The barriers faced by clinicians in treating asthma are universal and we know that there is interest from other countries in adopting technology solutions that help reduce the burden of respiratory disease on the health care system,” he says.

CEO Asthma NZ Katheren Leitner says asthma nurses see the impact of poorly managed asthma every day.

Leitner says unfortunately suffering from asthma has been normalised in New Zealand.

“Living well with asthma is very possible, our nurses help people around the country to better manage their symptoms. Asthma NZ are strong advocates for the adoption of technology in the management of chronic conditions such as asthma,” she says.

[1] Health Quality & Safety Commission NZ. Accessible here.

[2] Telfar Barnard, L., & Zhang, J. (2018). The impact of respiratory disease in New Zealand: 2020 update.

Wellington: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ. Available here. Accessed 21 June 2022.

[3] World Health Organisation data. Accessible here.

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