[Primary ciliary dyskinesia revisited: based on three clinical reports]

Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous disorder. Its pathogenesis reflects structural and functional compromise of the cilia. Common clinical manifestations include recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections and infertility, as well as situs inversus totalis in half of the affected patients. Besides its rarity and phenotypic heterogeneity its diagnosis usually requires a high suspicion index. The main purpose of this paper is to review the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of primary ciliary dyskinesia beyond the discussion of three clinical reports. We report the cases of three patients all with a past history of neonatal respiratory distress and two with situs inversus totalis. The subsequent clinical manifestations included lower airway symptoms in two patients (chronic productive cough and recurrent pneumonia and wheezing) and upper respiratory tract disease in all patients. Age at primary ciliary dyskinesia diagnosis differed considerably among patients (8 months, 5 and 12 years). The two patients with later diagnosis had already obstructive lung function compromise at the time of diagnosis. The authors discuss the different clinical patterns presented, therapeutic strategies and the clinical progression that ensued, factors possibly implicated in late diagnosis and its prognostic consequences. The main goal is to emphasize early and/or prevalent clinical features of primary ciliary dyskinesia in order to promote clinical awareness and early recognition of the disease.