Assessing ciliary function in polycystic kidney disease: beyond the kidney

This study sought to investigate the effects of polycystic kidney disease and tolvaptan administration on mucociliary clearance.

The cross-sectional study enrolled 30 patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease undergoing tolvaptan therapy, 30 patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease not on tolvaptan, and 30 healthy volunteers. Nasal mucociliary clearance time was determined using the saccharin transit time test, with a 1 mm diameter saccharin particle carefully placed on the anteromedial surface of the inferior nasal concha. Comparisons of mucociliary clearance time were then performed between the groups.

In our study, the average mucociliary clearance time for patients with polycystic kidney disease was determined to be 9, in contrast to an average of 11 in the control group. A comparative analysis of patients receiving tolvaptan and those not receiving tolvaptan revealed an identical average mucociliary clearance time of 9 for both cohorts (p = 0.706). Furthermore, patients treated with tolvaptan demonstrated an average urine specific gravity of 1004, significantly lower than the 1011 observed in the non-tolvaptan group (p = 0.001).

This study indicates that the administration of tolvaptan yielded a beneficial impact on hydration status; however, this improved hydration did not translate into a significant effect on mucociliary clearance. Furthermore, the mucociliary clearance times recorded in the patient group were found to be in alignment with those typically associated with chronic kidney disease cohorts.