NASAL CILIARY BEAT FREQUENCY IS AGE INDEPENDENT

Objectives: Evaluate the age-dependency of ciliary beat frequency (CBF ) in biopsies after ciliogenesis in culture. Study Design: Retrospecti ve analysis of CBF and ciliary ultrastructure in biopsies and after ci liogenesis from 203 individuals, aged 3 months to 74 years. Methods: A ll patients with successful culture were included. Ciliogenesis was ob tained using the sequential monolayer-suspension culture technique for dissociated nasal epithelial cells. CBF was measured using computeriz ed microscope photometry. Secondary ultrastructural abnormalities were evaluated in transmission electron microscopy. Results: There was no correlation between age and CBF, in either the biopsies (7.0 +/- 2.6 H z; n = 113) or after ciliogenesis in culture (8.1 +/- 1.3 Hz; n = 203) . Even in individuals older than 70 years, CBF was normal in bioptic m aterial (6.7 +/- 1.7 Hz) and after ciliogenesis in culture (7.9 +/- 1. 0 Hz). Also, in individuals less than 1 year of age CBF was normal in biopsies as well as after ciliogenesis. CBF correlated inversely with the percentage of secondary ultrastructural abnormalities in the biops ies as seen with transmission electron microscopy: 8.1 +/- 1.8 Hz when ciliary ultrastructure was normal and 3.5 +/- 3.3 Hz in cases of seve re secondary ciliary dyskinesia, After ciliogenesis in culture, ciliar y ultrastructure was always normal, as was CBF. Conclusion: CBF is age independent but correlates with secondary ultrastructural abnormaliti es, CBF after ciliogenesis in culture is the intrinsic one,