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Published on: November 7, 2020
Nasal scraping in diagnosing ciliary dyskinesia
Giuseppi Caruso1, Matteo Gelardi, Giulio C Passali
1Ear, Nose, and Throat Department, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. dr.gcaruso2002@virgilio.it
Background:
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a congenital, clinically and ultrastructurally heterogeneous disease caused by abnormal structure and/or function of cilia. Kartagener's syndrome is one subgroup of PCD. Acquired ciliary dyskinesia is frequent, generally being associated with or following respiratory tract infections.
Methods:
From January 2003 to April 2006, nasal mucociliary transport time was measured in 64 patients and specimens obtained by nasal scraping were examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Results:
The 64 nasal scrapings led to the diagnosis of 11 (17.2%) cases of PCD and 51 (79.7%) cases of secondary ciliary disorder. In two cases (3.1%) no clear diagnosis was possible.
Conclusion:
Nasal scraping is an easy, cheap, and efficient tool for detecting ciliary abnormalities by TEM and for distinguishing acquired and congenital modifications.
