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

OBJECTIVE: 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). METHOD: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Avaliação de clearance nasal, propriedades físicas do muco, celularidade e citocinas em lavado nasal de trabalhadores cortadores de cana-de-açúcar queimada no Estado de São Paulo / Evaluation of nasal mucociliary clearance, mucus physical properties, cellularity and cytokines in nasal lavage of sugarcane workers in São Paulo State

A queima de biomassa produz gases tóxicos e partículas suspensas que contribuem para a poluição atmosférica. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos da colheita de cana-de-açúcar queimada sobre o transporte mucociliar (TMC) nasal, as propriedades físicas do muco nasal e celularidade e concentrações de citocinas em lavado nasal (LN) de cortadores de cana-de-açúcar e residentes de região urbana próxima aos canaviais (Mendonça, São Paulo). Métodos: Avaliamos 154 jovens não tabagistas (idade entre 18 e 43 anos) sendo 73 residentes e 81 cortadores na: (a) Pré-safra: 4 meses sem exposição à queimada de biomassa (fevereiro e março), e na (b) Pós-safra: aproximadamente 7 a 8 meses de exposição (outubro e novembro). Avaliamos: o TMC nasal por meio do teste da sacarina (TTS), as propriedades físicas do muco por meio da transportabilidade por alto fluxo e ângulo de contato, a expressão de fator de necrose tumoral (TNF)-, interleucinas (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8 e IL-10 em LN, celularidade total e diferencial em LNsinais vitais e ocorrência de eventos respiratórios. Resultados: Na Pré-safra, comparados com os residentes, cortadores apresentaram menor pressão arterial média (95,5±9,1 e 88,7±9,4 mmHg, respectivamente; p<0,001), frequência cardíaca (76±13 e 70±10 bpm, respectivamente; p<0,003), e células ciliadas (61±20 e 47±18, respectivamente; p<0,001). Além de TTS mais prolongado (10,4±4,6 e 11,8±5,1, respectivamente; p=0,035), e maior porcentagem de macrófagos em LN (21±15 e 43±15, respectivamente; p<0,001). Na Pós-safra, comparados com os residentes, os cortadores apresentaram menor pressão arterial média (96,5±9,1 e 92,8±9,6 mmHg, respectivamente; p=0,042), frequência cardíaca (76±14 e 63±11 bpm, respectivamente; p<0,001), IL-4 (0,4±0,5 e 0,3±0,6 pg/ml, respectivamente; p=0,001), células ciliadas (64±19 e 52±14, respectivamente; p<0,001), células caliciformes em LN (13±14 e 4±5, respectivamente; p<0,001), assim como maior número de células totais...

Biomass burning produces toxic gases and suspended particle that contribute for high levels of air pollution. We aimed to assess the effects of sugarcane harvesting on nasal mucociliary clearance (MCC), mucus physical properties, and celularity and cytokines concentrations in nasal lavage (NL) of sugarcane workers and residents that live near to sugarcane fields (Mendonça, São Paulo). Methods: We evaluated 154 young non-smoking subjects, aged between 18 to 42 years (residents, n=73 and sugarcane workers, n=81) at two time-points: (a) non-harvesting, 4-months of no exposure to biomass burning (in February and March), and (b) harvesting, after 7 to 8-months of exposure to biomass burning (in October and November). We evaluated: Nasal MCC was assessed by saccharine transit test (STT), mucus physical properties were evaluated by sneeze clearability and contact angle, expression of tumor necrosis factor-, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8 e IL-10 in NL and total and differential cells counts in NL, vital signs and respiratory events. Results: At Non-harvesting, compared with residents, sugarcane workers presented lower mean blood pressure (95.5±9.1 and 88.7±9.4 mmHg, respectively; p<0.001), heart rate (76±13 and 70±10 bpm, respectively; p<0.003), and ciliated cells (61±20 and 47±18, respectively; p<0.001) and prolonged STT (10.4±4.6 and 11.8±5.1, respectively, p=0.035), and higher percentage of macrophages in NL (21±15 and 43±15, respectively; p<0.001). At Harvesting, compared with residents, sugarcane workers presented lower mean blood pressure (96.5±9.1 and 92.8±9.6 mmHg, respectively; p=0.042), heart rate (76±14 and 63±11 bpm, respectively; p<0.001), IL-4 (0.4±0.5 and 0.3±0.6 pg/ml, respectively, p=0.001), ciliated cells (64±19 and 52±14, respectively; p<0.001), goblet cells (13±14 and 4±5, respectively; p<0.001), and higher number of total cells (24±29 and 32±30 104cells/ml, respectively; p=0.040), neutrophils (1±2 and 2±3, respectively,...