The effects of smoking and smoking cessation on nasal mucociliary clearance, mucus properties and inflammation

• Published in: Clinics (São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 71; no. 6; pp. 344 - 350
• Main Authors: Utiyama, Daniela Mitiyo Odagiri, Yoshida, Carolina Tieko, Goto, Danielle Miyuki, de Santana Carvalho, Tômas, de Paula Santos, Ubiratan, Koczulla, Andreas Rembert, Saldiva, Paulo Hilário Nascimento, Nakagawa, Naomi Kondo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Elsevier España, S.L.U 01.06.2016; Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina / USP; Elsevier España
• Subjects: Adult; Carbon Monoxide - analysis; Cell Count; Clinical Science; Cotinine - analysis; Exhaled Breath Condensate; Female; Humans; Inflammation - pathology; Inflammatory Biomarkers; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Interleukin-8 - metabolism; Longitudinal Studies; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; Mucociliary Clearance; Mucus - chemistry; Nasal Lavage; Nasal Lavage Fluid - chemistry; Nasal Mucosa - pathology; Respiratory Mucus; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - metabolism; Smoking Cessation; Time Factors; Inflammatory Biomarkers; Respiratory Mucus; Exhaled Breath Condensate; Nasal Lavage; Smoking Cessation
• ISSN: 1807-5932; 1980-5322; 1980-5322
• DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2016(06)10

The aim of the present study was to assess nasal mucociliary clearance, mucus properties and inflammation in smokers and subjects enrolled in a Smoking Cessation Program (referred to as quitters). A total of 33 subjects with a median (IQR) smoking history of 34 (20-58) pack years were examined for nasal mucociliary clearance using a saccharine transit test, mucus properties using contact angle and sneeze clearability tests, and quantification of inflammatory and epithelial cells, IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in nasal lavage fluid. Twenty quitters (mean age: 51 years, 9 male) were assessed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months and 12 months after smoking cessation, and 13 smokers (mean age: 52 years, 6 male) were assessed at baseline and after 12 months. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02136550. Smokers and quitters showed similar demographic characteristics and morbidities. At baseline, all subjects showed impaired nasal mucociliary clearance (mean 17.6 min), although 63% and 85% of the quitters demonstrated significant nasal mucociliary clearance improvement at 1 month and 12 months, respectively. At 12 months, quitters also showed mucus sneeze clearability improvement (∼26%), an increased number of macrophages (2-fold) and no changes in mucus contact angle or cytokine concentrations. This study showed that smoking cessation induced early improvements in nasal mucociliary clearance independent of mucus properties and inflammation. Changes in mucus properties were observed after only 12 months of smoking cessation.