Ciliary beat frequency study by high speed video microscopy

Abstract

Introduction: In primary ciliary dyskinesia there is an alteration of ciliary beat frequency and/or ciliary beat pattern. Aims and objectives: The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the ciliary beat frequency in patients affected of respiratory illnesses that could be present in primary ciliary dyskinesia. Methods: Nasal nitric oxide (nNO) was measured in 20 patients affected of respiratory illnesses in whom primary ciliary dyskinesia was suspected. Ciliated epithelium was obtained by brushing the inferior nasal turbinate. Beat frequency measurements were made by digital high speed video analysis. Abnormal beat pattern was considered when less than 80% of the measurements were normal beat pattern. Circular, static, rigid and dyskinetic (flickering or others) patterns were considered as abnormal patterns. Results: Twenty patients (2-55 years-old) were studied. Newborn respiratory distress was present in 4 patients, bronchiectasis (10), recurrent otitis media (10), sinusitis (5), middle lobe syndrome (2), recurrent pneumonia (7), gastro-esophageal reflux (3). Nasal nitric oxide ranged from 44 ppb to 1019 ppb. Beat frequency ranged from 7,26 Hz to 14,46 Hz. Static beat pattern was predominant in 8 patients, dyskinetic beat pattern in 2 patients and circular beat pattern in one patient. In one patient there were no cilia. In all patients with beat frequency below 8,5 Hz, beat pattern were abnormal. There was an overlap on beat frequency values in patients with normal and abnormal beat pattern. Conclusions: In this study, similar ciliary beat frequencies were found in patients with normal and abnormal beat patterns. Genetic study or cell culture could help to differentiate between primary and secondary ciliary dyskinesia.