Short-term effects of nCPAP on nasal mucociliary clearance and mucus transportability in healthy subjects

Abstract

Nasal mucociliary clearance is a primary defense mechanism of the upper airways and may be acutely affected by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). nCPAP treatment is effective and safe. However, it can cause nasal side effects and contribute to a low compliance to the treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of nCPAP on nasal mucociliary clearance and on mucus transportability of healthy subjects. Eleven healthy subjects were submitted to 20 min of nCPAP (10 cm H2O). Five subjects were also evaluated before and after 20 min of rest on the consecutive study day. Nasal mucociliary clearance was measured by the saccharin nasal transit time test and nasal mucus was collected for the in vitro study of mucus transportability by the frog palate model, both before and after the nCPAP challenge. Saccharin nasal transit time decreased significantly after nCPAP (9.29+/-6.06 min and 4.83+/-5.57 min; P=0.002 before and after nCPAP respectively). No significant changes were observed on the control day (11.66+/-7.57 min and 12.40+/-5.62 min; P=0.70). Mucus transportability was not significantly affected by nCPAP. Our results suggest that nCPAP can acutely increase nasal mucociliary clearance but does not affect in vitro mucus transportability in healthy subjects.