Nasal mucociliary clearance in patients with upper and lower respiratory diseases

Reflections on passive smoking and COVID-19

Despite substantial evidence on the negative effect of active smoking to Covid-19, the impact of passive smoking in the course of disease remains largely unclear. Our aim was to reflect passive smoking as a risk factor in the current pandemic. Studies are needed to increase our knowledge on passive smoking and Covid-19 implications. The reflections current findings strongly support interventions and policies to curb the tobacco epidemic.

Nasal Function following Carbon Dioxide Laser Turbinate Surgery for Allergy

A carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser) was used to treat the hypertrophic inferior turbinates of 121 patients with nasal symptoms related to house dust allergy. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 48 months (mean follow-up period: 17.8 months). Treatment involved 10–14 watts of a defocused pulse beam of a CO2 laser fitted with special handpieces. Subjectively, 111 of the 121 patients (91.7%) reported a reduction in nasal stuffiness, 76 of the 112 patients (67.9%) had reduction in rhinorrhea, and 63 of the 96 patients (65.7%) had decrease in sneezing. Nasal airflow resistances were confirmed to have decreased in 82 patients using rhinomanometry. Nasal provocation reactions by a house dust disk, which were investigated in 10 patients, showed a tendency to reduce from 1 to 11 months after laser treatment. Nasal mucociliary transports, which were followed by the saccharin test in 50 patients, recovered 1–1.5 months after the laser surgery. To study mucosal structure after laser irradiation, the inferior turbinates of five patients were examined under a light microscope. The ciliated epithelium was shown to have recovered on light microscopic examination, whereas the number of goblet cells decreased. A net of new collagen fibers was observed in the superficial submucosa a few months after treatment. The quantity of submucosal glands was reduced in the treated portion. Such findings suggested that CO2 laser turbinate surgery may be effective in relieving the nasal symptoms associated with allergy.

Effects of cigarette smoking on the respiratory epithelium and its role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis

The increasing consumption of cigarettes has aroused concerns about the development and worsening of diseases, particularly those related to the respiratory tract.

Aim

In this paper we review the evidence suggesting the effects of cigarette smoking on the respiratory epithelium and its role in the pathogenesis in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Conclusions

Although there is evidence supporting a link between smoking and CRS, studies suggest that there might be individual susceptibility to cigarette smoking causing the development and/or maintenance of CRS. Proper patient educations to quit smoking as well as reinforcement of antismoking campaigns are extremely important to control this disease of major socio-economic impact.

Evaluation of nasal mucociliary functions with rhinoscintigraphy in coal workers' pneumoconiosis

OBJECTIVE

To compare nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) functions in coal workers with pneumoconiosis, coal workers without pneumoconiosis and healthy controls by using technetium-99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin rhinoscintigraphy.

METHODS

Sixty-five of the 86 coal workers were clinically documented as suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP group). CWP workers were divided into two groups according to smoking status: 44 smokers (CWP-S) and 21 nonsmokers (CWP-NS). Twenty-one workers without pneumoconiosis (NCWP group) were similarly divided into two groups: 12 smokers (NCWP-S) and 9 nonsmokers (NCWP-NS). Thirty-three healthy male volunteers were selected for the control group [15 smokers (control-S), 18 nonsmokers (control-NS)]. The half-time (t1/2) value for the clearance of the radiopharmaceutical was calculated for each patient.

RESULTS

Mean t1/2 values for CWP-S, CWP-NS, NCWP-S, NCWP-NS, control-S and control-NS were 25.10 +/- 7.75, 10.97 +/- 3.24, 14.68 +/- 4.98, 9.17 +/- 3.71, 19.15 +/- 5.04 and 15.08 +/- 5.11, respectively (p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis). Further, mean t1/2 values of smokers versus nonsmokers in CWP, NCWP and control groups were compared, and it was found that although smoking prolonged nasal transport time in all three groups, the difference was significant only in the CWP group (p < 0.001, p < 0.023 and p < 0.027, respectively, Bonferroni-adjusted Mann-Whitney test).

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrated a synergistic detrimental effect of smoking with coal dust exposure on nasal transport time.

The effect of injection immunotherapy on mucociliary clearance in allergic patients

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of injection immunotherapy on mucociliary clearance in allergic patients with the use of the saccharin test.

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, mucociliary clearance in 42 allergic patients treated with injection immunotherapy was determined with the saccharin test. Of these patients, 23 were retested 1 year later to assess changes in mucociliary clearance times. Mean results for historical controls were determined in a review and meta-analysis of the existing literature.

RESULTS

Saccharin clearance times (SCTs) were initially prolonged in allergic patients who received injection immunotherapy when compared to historical controls (one-sided P value < 0.05). However, after 1 year of immunotherapy, there was a significant reduction in SCTs in our patient population. This finding was independent of other evaluated patient characteristics, with the exception of nasal steroid use, which was also significantly associated with a decrease in SCT.

CONCLUSIONS

After 1 year of injection immunotherapy, there was a significant reduction in mean SCT in our patient population. Of the other factors studied, only nasal steroid was associated with decreased mucociliary clearance times. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature documenting the beneficial effect of injection immunotherapy on mucociliary clearance as measured by saccharin clearance times. Nevertheless, further research is warranted, given the confounding effect of nasal steroid use.