Evaluation of the nasal mucociliary transport rate by 99mTc-Macroaggregated albumin rhinoscintigraphy in cigarette smokers

Nasal mucociliary clearence is one of the important defence mecanisms in human body that enroles in protecting the respiratory tract from foreign particles in inspired air. There are many researches that address the hasardous effects of the cigarette smoking on nasal mucociliary clearence. Of them, some have reported that the cigarette smoking impaired the nasal mucociliary transport rate (NMTR) whereas others have suggested that the NMTR was not negatively affected by smoking. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on NMTR by rhinoscintigraphy. Fourty eight person aged between 18-55 years who were cigarette smokers (8 female, 40 male) and 30 volunteers who were not smokers enroled in this study. All of them were examined by both ear-nose-troath specialists and pulmonologist. Persons having ongoing nasal, paranasal and systemic diseases, ones under the age of 18 years and pregnants were excluded from the study. NMTRs were calculated by the rhinoscintigraphy using 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin in all cases. To determine reproducibility of the rhinoscintigraphy, NMTRs were calculated 2 times on rhinoscintigraphy imagings that were performed in a same day and several hours interval in 13 healhty volunteers. The mean NMTR of smokers was 5.7 ± 3.1 mm/min whereas it was 9.2 ± 3 mm/min in controls. Statistical analysis showed that the mean NMTRs of smokers was significantly lower than that of controls (p<0.0001). In twice imaging group, the mean NMTR calculated on first rhinoscintigraphy imagings was calculated as 7.9 ± 3.4 mm/min and second one was 7.7 ± 3.3 mm/min. We did not find statistically significant difference between these two NMTR values (p>0.05). Additionally, we found no statistically significant correlation between NMTRs and smoking years, no of pack of cigarettes per day and pack years of cigarette smoking in smokers (p>0.05). In conclusion, Based upon our study findings we suggest that the rhinoscintigraphy gives reproducible NMTR results and cigarette smoking significantly decrease the NMTR in smokers.