Mucociliary Flow Rate in Allergic Rhinitis Patients

Abstract

The vital part of this mechanism is an adequate quantity of mucus with appropriate rhinological qualities and adequate functioning of cilia which beat in metachronous fashion towards nasopharynx at a frequency of 7-16 Hz at body temperature. Nasal Mucociliary Clearance (NMC) is determined to obtain an in vivo measurement of the effectiveness of the interaction between the cilia and mucus. Any disturbance in the number and movement of cilia and mucus production leads to altered mucociliary clearance as occurs in allergic rhinitis. Aim of this study was to find the mucociliary clearance time and mucociliary clearance rate in group of 100 patients of allergic rhinitis. We found that the MCT is prolonged and MCR is reduced in these patients. Keywords: MCC- Nasociliary clearance, NMC- Nasal Mucociliary Clearance, MCT- Mucociliary clearance time, MCR- Mucociliary clearance rate