Nasal Mucociliary Clearance Time Research Articles

The Effect of Aging on Nasal Mucociliary Clearance, Beat Frequency, and Ultrastructure of Respiratory Cilia

The increased susceptibility of the elderly to lower respiratory tract infection cannot be fully explained. Although mucociliary clearance, which is affected by ciliary beating and ultrastructure, plays a crucial role in the defense of the airways against inhaled microbes, little is known of the effects of aging on these parameters. We studied the nasal mucociliary clearance (NMCC) time, ciliary beat frequency, and ultrastructure of respiratory cilia in a cohort of healthy volunteers (age range 11 to 90 yr). Ciliary beat frequency of ciliated nasal epithelial cells was obtained via an established photometric method, and NMCC time was measured with the saccharine test. There was a correlation of ciliary beat frequency (r = -0.48, p = 0.0001) and NMCC time r = 0.64, p < 0.001) with increasing age. Transmission electron microscopy revealed an increase in the percent of subjects exhibiting microtubular disarrangement and single central microtubules with aging (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005, respectively). Subjects older than 40 yr of age had significantly slower ciliary beat frequency, higher percent of ciliary cross-sections displaying single tubules, and longer NMCC time than their younger counterparts (p < 0.05). These findings may help explain the frequent occurrence of respiratory infection in the elderly.

Nasal mucociliary clearance in healthy children in a tropical country

Introduction: Nasal mucociliary clearance is an important physiological function of nasal cavity that helps in protecting the lower respiratory tract from undesirable organic and inorganic matter including the micro organisms. The study was designed to establish normal mucociliary clearance time in healthy children in a tropical environment. Material and methods: The study was carried out in 100 randomly selected normal school children aged 4–15 years using saccharin method. The diseases that are known to affect the nasal mucociliary clearance were excluded. The study variables were age and sex. Results: Mean nasal mucociliary clearance time was 5.7±2.59 min with no significant difference between males and females. The clearance time was found to be impaired in groups A and B including children of 4–7 and 8–11 years of age respectively. Conclusion: Nasal mucociliary clearance is impaired in children of either sex between 4 and 11 years probably due to subclinical adenoiditis. However clearance returns to normal level at the time of puberty, which coincides with adenoids involution.

Effects of luteinising-hormone-releasing hormone on nervous-system tumours

in CBF in patients and controls (r=0·76, p<0·05, and r=0·63, p<0·05, respectively). L-arginine decreased nasal mucociliary clearance time in patients with and without PCD (figure), and the maximum increases in NO and nasal mucociliary clearance time correlated significantly for the two groups (r=0·72, p<0·05 and r=0·71, p<0·02). Studies of human airway cilia have shown ciliary-beatfrequency stimulation by cyclic guanosine monophosphate and endogenous prostaglandin E2. NO increases concentrations of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and leads to the release of prostaglandin E2. Therefore, arginine, by the increasing NO in ciliated epithelial cells, may modulate the ciliary activity through a rise in cyclic guanosine monophosphate and prostaglandin E2 or via other as yet unknown mechanisms, leading to faster more coordinated ciliary beating and improved mucociliary clearance. Measurement of nasal NO may help to diagnose PCD. Our findings suggest that arginine may have a therapeutic role in PCD.

Nasal muco-ciliary clearance in snuff users

The inhalation of nasal snuff (powdered tobacco) is widely prevalent in the Indian sub-continent. The effect of snuff application on the nasal mucociliary clearance (NMMC) time has been suspected but not demonstrated before. In this study the saccharin test is used to demonstrate the rate of nasal mucociliary clearance among chronic snuff users. The study demonstrates the depressant action of snuff on the nasal mucociliary clearance rate. A pharmacological and pathological basis for the depressant action of snuff on the NMMC rate is hypothesised on the basis of the results obtained.