BACKGROUND The impact of cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the respiratory mucociliary function is unknown. This study evaluated the effects of CPB and interruption of mechanical ventilation on the respiratory mucociliary system. METHODS Twenty-two pigs were randomly assigned to the control (n = 10) or CPB group (n = 12). After the induction of anesthesia, a tracheostomy w...

The epithelium of the respiratory tract forms a large surface area that maintains intimate contact with the environment. Through the act of breathing, this mucosal surface encounters an array of pathogens and toxic particulates. In response to these challenges many strategies have evolved to protect the host. These include the barrier functions of the epithelium, cough, mucociliary clearance, r...

The nasal mucociliary clearance time was studied using Andersen saccharin method in 50 normal children and 50 age and sex matched patients of adenotonsillar hypertrophy, which was repeated one month after adenotonsillectomy. The normal mucociliary clearance time in healthy children was found to be 8.55 +/- 2.11 minutes. A significant impairment in nasal mucociliary clearance time was noted in c...

Studies on mucociliary clearance (MCC) in cystic fibrosis (CF) have produced conflicting results. This study aimed to differentiate primary (ion transport-related) from secondary (inflammatory) causes of delayed MCC in CF. Nasal MCC was measured in 50 children (CF, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and no respiratory disease). Nasal lavage fluid was analysed for interleukin (IL)-8 and tumour nec...

OBJECTIVES Partial liquid ventilation with perfluorooctyl bromide (perflubron) has been shown to be safe and effective in animal models with respiratory failure. However, airway mucus accumulation has been reported to be a problem in human trials. We hypothesized that this might be because perflubron directly affects mucociliary clearance or stimulates mucus secretion. METHODS AND RESULTS We ...

Nasal mucociliary clearance is one of the most important factors affecting nasal delivery of drugs and vaccines. This is also the most important physiological defense mechanism inside the nasal cavity. It removes inhaled (and delivered) particles, microbes and substances trapped in the mucus. Almost all inhaled particles are trapped in the mucus carpet and transported with a rate of 8-10 mm/h t...

New measures are needed to rapidly assess emerging treatments for cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Using an imaging approach, we evaluated the absorptive clearance of the radiolabeled small molecule probe diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) as an in vivo indicator of changes in airway liquid absorption. DTPA absorption and mucociliary clearance rates were measured in 21 patients with...

We studied the action of sodium metabisulphite on mucociliary transport in a frog palate epithelial injury model, hypothesizing that it may be useful for the study of mechanisms of airway injury. Sodium metabisulphite (MB) releases SO2 on contact with water. SO2 is a pollutant in automobile fumes and may play a role in the exacerbation of airway disease symptoms. We first investigated its effec...

In this article, applications of engineered nanoparticles containing siRNA for inhalation delivery are reviewed and discussed. Diseases with identified protein malfunctions may be mitigated through the use of well-designed siRNA therapeutics. The inhalation route of administration provides local delivery of siRNA therapeutics to the lungs for various pulmonary diseases. A siRNA delivery system ...