Ciliary beating patterns in PCD patients of Greek origin:a four-year experience

Abstract

Aims and objectives: In primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), the high-speed video microscopy assay (HSVMA) allows the identification of the specific ciliary beating pattern (CBP) responsible for the disease. This abstract is aiming to present the most common CBP in the Greek PCD population. Methods: Our unit represents the sole national referral point and centralizes the management of PCD patients across the country. Aiming to construct a national PCD database for management and research purposes, we analyzed and quantified the results of the CBP looking for the most common ones in the Greek territory. Results: Of the 324 referrals, 37 (11.4%) were allotted as PCD positive. HSVMA revealed an abnormal CBP in all positive tested patients with the test being repeated on three different occasions according to the current ERS guidelines. After a four-year operating period we quantified the results looking for the most common encountered CBP of our cohort. The majority (28/37, 75.6%) exhibited the “stiff forward movement with reduce amplitude” CBP on HSVMA, followed by the “flickering” CBP (5/37, 13.5%). The remaining of our cohort had either immotile (2/37, 5.4%) or rotational beating (2/37, 5.4%) cilia (chi-square test for equality of proportions: p Conclusions: Tracking the CBP in PCD patients living in different parts of the European continent may help clinicians to a better understanding of this multifaceted disease, correlate further the “local” genetic defects with the ciliary movement and establish a potential link between the phenotype and the underlying CBP.