The relationship between Covid-19 and mucociliary clearance

Abstract

Background

The effect of Covid-19 infection on nasal mucociliary clearance (MCC) is unknown.

Aims/objectives

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between Covid-19 and nasal MCC in terms of smoking, Covid-19 symptoms and treatment.

Methods

Thirty-six patients who were hospitalized in the pandemic ward due to Covid-19 and 36 volunteers (Covid-19 negative test result) who presented to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic with non-nasal symptoms were included in this study. The Saccharin test was performed in both groups to evaluate nasal MCC.

Results

The patients and control groups were not significantly different in terms of age and gender. The nasal MCC time was significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (19.18 ± 10.84 min and 13.78 ± 8.18 min, p = .003).

Conclusions and significance

In this study, we found that Covid-19 prolonged nasal MCC time regardless of age. We suggest that corticosteroids should be included in the treatment of Covid-19, both with its symptom reduction and its positive effect on MCC duration.

Chinese abstract

背景：Covid-19 感染对鼻黏膜纤毛清除率 (MCC) 的影响尚不清楚。

目的：本研究的目的是调查 Covid-19 与鼻MCC 在吸烟、Covid-19 症状和治疗方面的关系。

方法：本研究纳入36 名因 Covid-19 而在大流行病房住院的患者和 36 名因非鼻部症状到耳鼻喉科门诊就诊的志愿者（Covid-19检测阴性结）。两组均接受糖精测试以评估鼻部 MCC。

结果：患者组与对照组在年龄、性别上无显著差异。患者组鼻腔 MCC 时间明显高于对照组（19.18 ± 10.84 分钟和 13.78 ± 8.18 分钟, p ¼ .003）。

结论和意义：在这项研究中, 我们发现 Covid-19 延长了鼻腔 MCC 时间, 跟年纪无关。我们建议皮质类固醇应该包括在 Covid-19 的治疗中；它有两个方面的效应, 症状减轻及对 MCC 持续时间的正面作用。

Keywords:

• Covid-19
• mucociliary clearance
• Saccharin test
• corticosteroids

Disclosure statement

The authors declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.