Effect of Gender on Nasal Mucociliary Clearance

Abstract

Background: The sexual dimorphism favours gender specific biological characteristics influenced by sex hormones. These sex hormones determined differences influence the health of an individual by influencing many physiological parameters. As the pulmonary functions are different between male and female and the susceptibility to different respiratory diseases varies between genders, this study has been designed to assess the relation between gender and the nasal mucociliary clearance, an inherent protective mechanism of the respiratory passages. Aim & objectives:To assess the relation between gender and nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC). Materials & methods:This cross sectional study was carried out on 60 randomly selected volunteers (30 male volunteers and 30 female volunteers) and NMC time was measured in them. The saccharin transit method was used to assess NMC. Saccharin transit time (STT) is the time taken by the participant to appreciate the taste of saccharin after placement of ¼ tablet of saccharin (1mm x 1mm) in the nostril. Results: The mean NMC in males was 7.71 ± 2.35min and in the females was 7.65 ± 2.22 min. There was no statistical significance as the p value is 0.9291. Conclusion: NMC time did not vary between male and female population. Therefore it could be inferred that gender has no apparent influence on nasal mucociliary clearance.

Nasal mucociliary transportability of male and female smokers

“…Regarding nasal mucociliary transport, the main mechanism of defense of the respiratory system, there is no evidence showing differences between male and female smokers. However, studies performed on non-smokers show some differences; some report that women exhibit better transportability than men, 6 , 7 , 8 while others 9 , 10 report no relationship between sex and mucociliary transportability. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider some variables that could possibly interfere in the analysis of this relationship, such as sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle.…”