We applied the tagged-particle method or the saccharin method or both to the nasal mucociliary clearance. There was no effect of ageing on the transport time of saccharin in control subjects of ages under 60, and 70% of control subjects of ages more than 60 had the same transport time as that obtained in younger control subjects. The significant inverse correlation between the mucociliary transport rates with the particle method and the transport time with the saccharin method were established in control subjects, but not, however, in patients with chronic sinusitis. The mucociliary transport rates were measured under non-physiologic conditions of the nose: laryngectomy, chronic sinusitis, Sjögren's syndrome, and Kartagener's syndrome.

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Nasal mucociliary clearance was measured before and after treatment in patients with chronic sinusitis. Nasal mucociliary transit time before the study was greater than 36 min in 8 out of 14 patients who were treated with S-carboxymethylcysteine, and in 9 out of 22 patients who were treated by repeated antral lavage. The nasal mucociliary clearance was significantly improved by both treatment regimens. This may indicate that the malfunction of the nasal mucociliary system is not the cause of chronic sinusitis but an effect of chronic inflammation of the respiratory mucosa.

Nasal mucus was collected from 38 patients with chronic sinusitis. Following this collection, nasal mucociliary clearance (ST) was measured by the saccharin granule technique. Nasal mucus was used for in vitro frog palate clearance studies and then compared with the in vivo ST. The mucociliary transport rate of nasal mucus on mucus-depleted frog palate (MTR on frog palate) was 5.93 +/- 1.04 mm/min in the patients whose ST was within normal range (group A), and was 5.54 +/- 1.94 mm/min in the patients whose ST was above the normal range (group B). Significant differences were not observed in MTR on frog palate between groups A and B and no significant correlation was noted between ST and MTR. These results suggest that factors other than the rheological properties of nasal mucus control nasal mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic sinusitis.

Possible mechanisms of reduction of mucociliary clearance in chronic sinusitisNasal mucus was collected from 38 patients with chronic sinusitis. Following this collection, nasal mucociliary clearance (ST) was measured by the saccharin granule technique. Nasal mucus was used for in vitro frog palate clearance studies and then compared with the in vivo ST. The mucociliary transport rate of nasal mucus on mucus-depleted frog palate (MTR on frog palate) was 5.93 & 1.04 mm/min in the patients whose ST was within normal range (group A), and was 5.54f 1.94 mm/min in the patients whose ST was above the normal range (group B). Significant differences were not observed in MTR on frog palate between groups A and B and no significant correlation was noted between ST and MTR. These results suggest that factors other than the rheological properties of nasal mucus control nasal mucociliary clearance in patients with chronic sinusitis. Keywords mucociliary clearance mucociliary dysfunction mucus cilia chronic sinusitis 11, 55-60