Development of a novel centrifugal extraction device to collect the olfactory cleft mucus

Abstract

Background

Measuring olfactory cleft mucus biomarkers provides critical insights into the pathogenesis of the olfactory dysfunction.

Objectives

This study aimed to develop a novel centrifugal extraction device to collect the olfactory cleft mucus.

Material and methods

The olfactory cleft mucus was collected from 18 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and 10 healthy controls using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponges. Both novel centrifugal extraction devices and traditional devices which consisted of a falcon tube and a syringe shaft were utilized. Levels of Galectin-10 were assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The olfaction was evaluated with Sniffin’ Sticks.

Results

The average extraction efficiency of recovered volume for novel centrifugal extraction devices and traditional devices was 85.44 and 79.15%, respectively. Galectin-10 levels of the olfactory cleft mucus in patients with CRS were significantly higher than that in controls when extracted through novel devices (p < .001). Furthermore, levels of Galectin-10 in patients with CRS significantly correlated with TDI score (p = .020, r = −0.546). There was no significant difference between novel and traditional devices regarding Galectin-10 levels in CRS (p = .966).

Conclusions and significance

The novel centrifugal extraction device with PVA sponges proved to be a feasible method to collect the olfactory cleft mucus.

Chinese Abstract

背景：测量嗅裂粘液生物标志物为嗅觉功能障碍的发病机制提供了深刻的了解。

目的：开发一种新型离心提取装置以收集嗅裂粘液。

材料和方法：使用聚乙烯醇 (PVA) 海绵从 18 名慢性鼻窦炎 (CRS) 患者和 10 名健康对照者身上收集嗅裂粘液。使用了新型离心提取装置和由鹰管和注射器轴组成的传统装置。使用酶联免疫吸附测定法评估 Galectin-10 的水平。嗅觉是用嗅探棒评估的。

结果：新型离心提取装置和传统设备的回收体积的平均提取效率分别为 85.44% 和 79.15%。当使用新型提取装置时, CRS 患者的嗅裂粘液的 Galectin-10 水平显著高于对照组 (p < .001)。此外, CRS 患者的 Galectin-10 水平与 TDI 得分 (p = .020, r = 0.546) 显著相关。CRS 患者的 Galectin-10 水平在使用新型装置和传统装置之间没有太大区别 (p = .966)。

结论与意义：新型 PVA 海绵离心提取装置是一种收集嗅裂粘液的可行方法。

Keywords:

• Olfactory cleft
• mucus collection
• centrifugal extraction device
• polyvinyl alcohol sponge
• chronic rhinosinusitis
• Galectin-10
• olfaction

Disclosure statement

DW and YW share the patent for this nasal secretion collection device. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest.

DW designed the study, conducted the experiment, analyzed the data, and drafted the manuscript. JH and FC collected the sample and clinical data. YW designed the study. All the authors have read, edited, and approved the final manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Beijing Hospitals Authority Youth Program [QML20190617], Beijing Science and Technology Nova Program [Z201100006820086], Natural Science Foundation of China [82000954], and Beijing Hospitals Authority Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding [XMLX202136].