Abstract
Background: Mucociliary clearance (MCC) results in an effective interaction between the mucus layer and the normal coordinated ciliary beating. In cystic fibrosis (CF), MCC is impaired due to dehydrated mucus, but recent data suggest that an abnormal ciliary beating may contribute to poor MCC in CF patients. However, results are controversial: in CF patients, ciliary beat frequency (CBF) might be either decreased, or increased, and ciliary dyskinesia might be increased, compared with healthy subjects.
Aims: To compare ciliary function in CF patients and in healthy subjects.
Method: Ciliated epithelial samples were obtained by nasal brushing from 4 non-transplanted patients with CF (range age: 4-23). Beating cilia were recorded using digital high-speed videomicroscopy at 37°C within 9 hours after brushing. Ciliary functional analysis (CFA) is assessed by CBF and the percentage of dyskinetic ciliary beat pattern (CBP) and is compared with our laboratory normal values, calculated on 14 healthy subjects (range age: 22-54).
Results: There is no difference in CBF between CF patients and healthy subjects. However, ciliary dyskinesia is significantly higher in CF patients.
CF patients | Healthy subjects | p-value | |
CBF(Hz) | 13.4±0.1 | 14.8±2.2 | 0.10 |
Dyskinetic CBP(%) | 32.1±8.7 | 17.3±7.6 | 0.01 |
Data expressed as mean±SD
Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that, unlike previous studies, CBF is normal in CF patients. However, our results suggest that an abnormal ciliary function might contribute to impaired MCC in CF patients, as shown by the higher dyskinetic CBP compared with healthy subjects. To evaluate if ciliary dyskinesia is primary or secondary to chronic inflammation, CFA will be repeated after air-liquid interface cell culture.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3374.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021