Impairment of nasal mucociliary clearance after radiotherapy for childhood head cancer.
BACKGROUND
Radiotherapy of the head region in children is known to cause long-term sequelae, such as facial, dental, and ocular abnormalities. We investigated whether a decreased nasal mucociliary function occurs after radiotherapy of the head in children.


METHODS
A saccharin/charcoal test was performed in 20 children treated with radiotherapy of the head and in 20 controls, age-matched and gender-matched.


RESULTS
We found a decreased nasal mucociliary clearance (lower percentage of responses (p = 0083) and longer mucociliary transport times (p =.0001) in the patients compared with the controls. The radiotherapy dosage influenced the response to the test (p =.0046).


CONCLUSIONS
Irradiation of the head in children may cause impairment of mucociliary function, even permanently, which may predispose children to upper respiratory infections. We would suggest careful monitoring of such patients to detect as early as possible the clinical effects of the functional changes and to prevent the evolution to chronic diseases.
Surico
G
G
Sezione di Onco-Ematologia Pediatrica, II Clinica Pediatrica, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy.
Muggeo
P
P
Mappa
L
L
Muggeo
V
V
Conti
V
V
Lucarelli
A
A
Novielli
C
C
Rigillo
N
N
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002606:Charcoal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012439:Saccharin / Q000008:administration & dosage
D002606:Charcoal; D012439:Saccharin