Impairment of lung mucociliary clearance in pigeon fanciers.
Lung mucociliary clearance was measured in 15 pigeon fanciers. The study group was subdivided into two: a precipitin-positive group (n = 10; mean +/- SEM age 45 +/- 5 years) with circulating blood precipitins and a precipitin-negative group (n = 5; mean +/- SEM age 40 +/- 3 years) without. Clearance was measured using an objective, noninvasive radioaerosol technique. The data for both groups were compared with those of matched control groups of healthy subjects. The mean +/- SEM area under the tracheobronchial retention curves (AUC) over the 6-h observation period was 257 +/- 27 %h for the precipitin-positive group compared with 177 +/- 16 %h for its control group (p = 0.02)--a high AUC value denoting slow clearance. That for the precipitin-negative group was 282 +/- 34 %h compared with 150 +/- 15 %h for its control group (p = 0.02). Our study illustrates in pigeon fanciers involvement of the conducting airways in that a major defense mechanism of the airways--namely, mucociliary clearance--is substantially compromised. The presence or absence of precipitins appears not to be related to the degree of mucociliary clearance impairment.
Hasani
A
A
Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, School of Medicine, London, England.
Johnson
M
M
Pavia
D
D
Agnew
J
J
Clarke
S
S
D001716:Bird Fancier's Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000502:physiology*; D011234:Precipitins / Q000032:analysis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D013667:Technetium
D011234:Precipitins; D013667:Technetium