Gk. Scadding et al., THE EFFECT OF LONG-TERM ANTIBIOTIC-THERAPY UPON CILIARY BEAT FREQUENCY IN CHRONIC RHINOSINUSITIS, Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 109(1), 1995, pp. 24-26
The mucociliary escalator is the first line of defence of the upper an
d lower respiratory tracts (Greenstone and Cole, 1985; Sleigh et al.,
1988). Failure of mucociliary clearance is associated with chronic or
recurrent respiratory tract infection. Ten patients with chronic rhino
sinusitis underwent nasal brushings for the assessment of ciliary beat
Frequency. In two no beating cilia were seen; in the remainder the me
an value was 9.3 Hz +/- 2.3; range 6.1-12.8 Hz (n = 8). Following thre
e months continuous oral antibiotic therapy repeat nasal brushings dem
onstrated increased ciliary beat frequencies in all patients, mean val
ue 13.7 Hz +/- 1.6; range 11.5-16.3 Hz (n = 10); (p<0.01; paired t-tes
t). Depression of mucociliary clearance can occur secondarily to chron
ic infection and is improved by prolonged antibiotics.