Disquinesia ciliar: diagnóstico ultraestructural, evolución clínica y alternativas de tratamiento / Clinical and ultrastructural features of ciliary dyskinesia

Background: Ciliary dyskinesia (CD) is a low incidence genetic illness, that presents with a wide clinical spectrum. Also, there are transitory conditions that present with ciliary anomalies, secondary to infectious diseases of the airways. Aim: To descube clinical and ultrastructural findings and clinical and therapeutic evolution of these patients. Patients and Methods: Retrospective review of medical records and electron microscopy findings of 33 patients (aged 1 to 21 years, 14 females) with ultrastructural diagnosis of CD. To obtain follow up information, a telephone survey was done. Results: In 30 patients (90 percent) the inner dynein arm (IDA) was absent in 50 or more percent of the cilia. Twenty two (66 percent) had absence of the outer dynein arm. Before diagnosis of CD, 19 patients (57 percent) presented recurrent otitis media, 25 patients (77 percent), three or more episodes of rhinosinusitis and 18 patients (56 percent) had recurrent pneumonia. Middle ear ventilation tubes were placed in 19 patients (57 percent), and during its use, 12 (68 percent) remained without othorrea. Sixteen patients (48 percent) with recurrent episodes of rhinosinusitis required adenoidectomy Seven (21 percent) required a functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), and 6 (86 percent) improved after FESS. Conclusions: Our patients with CD presented recurrent infections in different airway locations. In those with a diagnosis of CD and recurrent otol¢gica! and rhinosinusal infections, IDA was absent in a high percentage of cilia. FESS and the use of ventilation tubes may have a beneficial role in a subgroup of patients with CD.

Ultrastructural defects of the ciliary epithelium in a child with Kartagener's syndrome.

Kartagener's syndrome is a well known classical triad of presentations consisting of bronchiectasis, sinusitis and situs inversus. It is now recognized that the syndrome is an extreme presentation of primary ciliary dyskinesia, a large group of conditions with ultrastructural ciliary defects, leading to poor ciliary motility in various organ systems. A case of Kartagener's syndrome is presented in an eight year old Thai boy in whom the ultrastructural ciliary defects have been examined and described in detail for the first time in Thailand. Incomplete lack of dynein arms was recognized. In addition, disorientation of ciliary axis was noticed. Due to severe bronchiectatic changes of the right lower lobe and right lingular lobe which did not improve despite adequate antibiotics, these lobes were surgically removed. The child has done well since, but still suffers occasional and recurrent bouts of sinusitis.

Ultrastructural abnormalities of cilia secondary to chronic pulmonary infections: a prospective study

The cilia are an essential component of the respiratory defense system. Certain ciliary abnormalities are produced by chronic infections. In this prospective study, ultra-structural features of cilia are described in 46 subjects. Thirty patients were studied for the problem of recurrent chest infections; of these, 6 showed ciliary abnormalities which were specific and diagnostic of primary ciliary dyskinesia. In 24 patients there were other abnormalities which were presumably secondary to chronic infections. This paper describes the various ciliary abnormalities seen in the latter group. It is emphasized that, as ciliary abnormalities may be the result rather than the cause of infections, a diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia should be made with caution