Tracheo-bronchial mucociliary clearance in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome.
We determined the tracheo-bronchial mucociliary clearance (MCC) in order to evaluate a possible impairment of this function in patients affected by Sjögren's syndrome (SS) with or without overt clinical symptoms of xerotrachea. The MCC was expressed as flow rate (mm/min) and studied in 22 non-smoking SS patients (10 pSS and 12 sSS) and in 8 control subjects by specifically adapted ventilation lung scintigraphy (VLS). The MCC in the control group was 5.9 +/- 1.1 mm/min. No values were produced for MCC in 16 SS patients (8 pSS and 8 sSS) in the time interval considered and were reduced in the remaining 6 SS patients (3.3 +/- 1.2 mm/min). In all nine cases with clinical evidence of xerotrachea no values for MCC were obtained. A significant correlation was found between the MCC values and the rate of stimulated salivary excretion determined by dynamic scialoscintigraphy in the same patients (p < 0.001). These preliminary data show that the majority of SS patients studied presented with MCC impairment, always found when clinical symptoms of xerotrachea were present.
Mathieu
A
A
2nd Chair of Rheumatology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
Cauli
A
A
Pala
R
R
Satta
L
L
Nurchis
P
P
Loi
G L
GL
Garau
P
P
Sanna
G
G
Passiu
G
G
Carta
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014132:Trachea / Q000378:metabolism*; D014797:Vital Capacity