(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Face masks used to deliver asthma medications to very young children may not always get the job done, report researchers from Wake Forrest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The study reveals serious deficiencies with several mask brands. Researchers say more studies are needed to determine whether small children are truly receiving enough medicine to control their asthma.

The research was carried out using commercially available face masks commonly used to assist small children in inhaling their asthma medications. Investigators tested the ability of the masks to maintain an appropriate seal on the face by placing the masks on an infant-sized mannequin used to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They also measured the amount of air remaining in the mask after application. This is called the dead space volume (DVS) and contains drugs unable to get into the child's lungs. Finally, they analyzed digital images to determine whether there was an air leak around the mask.

Results show the Vortex, Pocket Chamber, and BreatheRite masks had the poorest fit and the biggest air leaks. In terms of DSV, only the Aerochamber, Optichamber, and Vortex masks had low enough levels to ensure the drug would end up in the lungs of a typical 6-month-old child.

"These data suggest that some of these masks may be unsuitable for use with infants or small children either because of the relatively large DSV or because of their inability to form an effective seal at the pressures tests," write the authors.

Investigators now plan to study asthma masks on children to further analyze how effectively asthma drugs are being delivered to the lungs.

SOURCE: Respiratory Care, 2005;51:1-5