Abstract
Background: The sexual dimorphism favours gender specific biological characteristics influenced by sex hormones. These sex hormones determined differences influence the health of an individual by influencing many physiological parameters. As the pulmonary functions are different between male and female and the susceptibility to different respiratory diseases varies between genders, this study has been designed to assess the relation between gender and the nasal mucociliary clearance, an inherent protective mechanism of the respiratory passages. Aim & objectives: To assess the relation between gender and nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC). Materials & methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on 60 randomly selected volunteers (30 male volunteers and 30 female volunteers) and NMC time was measured in them. The saccharin transit method was used to assess NMC. Saccharin transit time (STT) is the time taken by the participant to appreciate the taste of saccharin after placement of tablet of saccharin (1mm x 1mm) in the nostril. Results: The mean NMC in males was 7.71 2.35min and in the females was 7.65 2.22 min. There was no statistical significance as the p value is 0.9291. Conclusion: NMC time did not vary between male and female population. Therefore it could be inferred that gender has no apparent influence on nasal mucociliary clearance.
Highlights
Gender determines the pulmonary characteristics specific for male and female
The evidence of influence of gender on respiratory diseases is strengthened from the implication of the role of female sex hormones in the pathophysiology of asthma as the condition is more prevalent among women after the third decade of life when compared to men of the same age[7]
It could be inferred that the nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) did not differ between the genders as the mean NMC in male was 7.71 ± 2.35 min and in the female was 7.65 ± 2.22 min with a p value 0.9291 which is not significant
Summary
The sexdetermined differences between genders involving structural and functional characteristics that include the differences in diameters of airways and the size of the lungs which in turn determine the various lung volumes, influences disease states in women at favourable circumstances[1][2]. This sex-specific pathological predisposition to various respiratory disease conditions could be appreciated from the examples of hyper responsive airway behaviour for cholinergic agents under the influence of sex hormones in post pubertal females rendering them vulnerable for asthma, and the early emphysematous changes in the alveoli as an inflammatory response to smoking in women than in men[3][4].
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