Premium
The saccharin method for testing mucociliary function in patients suspected of having primary ciliary dyskinesia
Author(s) -
Canciani M.,
Barlocco E. G.,
Mastella G.,
De Santi M. M.,
Gardi C.,
Lungarella G.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.1950050406
Subject(s) - primary ciliary dyskinesia , medicine , saccharin , mucociliary clearance , bronchiectasis , lung
In order to evaluate the clinical value of the saccharin test as a practical and simple measure of mucociliary clearance, nasal mucociliary clearance (NMCC) and ciliary ultrastructure were studied in 22 patients suspected of having primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) based on the saccharin test. Ten patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of PCD had a pathological response to the saccharin test (transport time greater than 60 minutes), and this was consistently associated with ultrastructural defects, specific for PCD. These results validate the suitability of the clinical use of the saccharin test as a screening procedure for NMCC. The false‐negative results obtained in three cases of PCD, all with borderline values, cannot be ascribed to ineffectiveness of the test, but rather to the persistence of some motility by certain defective cilia, detectable by microphoto‐oscillographic investigation of specimens obtained by nasal biopsy or brushing.