• Bruce K Rubin, Geraldo Lorenzi-Filho, Janaína Proença de Oliveira-Maul, Heráclito Barbosa de Carvalho, Danielle Miyuki Goto, Raphaela Mendonça Maia, Claudia Fló, Viviane Barnabé, Denise Reis Franco, Simon Benabou, Monica Rodrigues Perracini, Wilson Jacob-Filho, Paulo Hilário Nascimento Saldiva, and Naomi Kondo Nakagawa.
• Department of Physiotherapy, Communication Science and Disorders, Occupational Therapy, LIM 34 Heart Institute, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
• Chest. 2013 Apr 1;143(4):1091-7.

BackgroundWe showed previously that nasal mucociliary clearance was decreased in critically ill elderly subjects, most of whom had diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or hypertension (HTN). To determine if these changes were due to the effects of aging, disease, or critical illness, we studied nasal mucociliary clearance and mucus properties in an ambulatory population consisting of young, elderly, and healthy subjects and those with DM, HTN, or both.MethodsOf 440 subjects contacted, 252 entered the study. The subjects were divided into the following groups: (1) healthy (n 5 79, 18-94 years, 50 men) and (2) DM and/or HTN, of which 37 had DM (14-90 years, 12 men), 52 had HTN (23-90 years, 12 men), and 84 had both DM and HTN (25-82 years, 33 men). Subjects were also grouped by age: , 40 years, 40 to 59 years, and 60 years. We assessed demographic and clinical data, quality of life using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire, nasal mucociliary clearance using the saccharine transit test (STT), and in vitro mucus properties by examining the sneeze (high airflow) clearability and contact angle. A logistic regression analysis for prolonged STT . 12 min was used, and we controlled for age, sex, and diseases.ResultsSubjects aged . 60 years reported a decreased SF-36 physical component relative to other age groups. Sex, BMI, BP, heart rate, pulse oximetry, blood glucose level, and mucus properties were not associated with prolonged STT. Aging and DM and/or HTN independently increased the risk of prolonged STT.ConclusionsAging and DM, HTN, or both diseases are independently associated with decreased nasal mucociliary clearance. This may predispose toward respiratory infections.

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