[Diagnosis of mucociliary insufficiency]

The data on the diagnosis of mucociliary insufficiency (MCI) are reviewed for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. MCI is characterized as the condition of more rapid accumulation of bronchial secretion in comparison to its evacuation, the residual secretion being the cause of the onset of the obturation syndrome. It is suggested that MCI detection be determined by expectoration time--the time of bronchial secretion evacuation following inhalation of the indicator substance. Two methods of mucociliary transport assessment are compared: the modified one and that by autologous hemoglobin. The compatibility of the results is thought evidence of a valid assessment of mucociliary transport by expectoration time.