Tracheal mucous velocity in normal man and patients with obstructive lung disease: effects of terbutaline.

Abstract

Tracheal mucous velocity was estimated in conscious, normal nonsmokers and in patients with obstructive lung disease by means of a cine-bronchofiberscopic technique in which observations of the movement of small Teflon discs placed upon the tracheal mucosa were made. The procedure was well tolerated and safe. The average mucous velocity in 16 normal volunteers, 20 to 44 years of age, was 21.5 mm per min, SD: 5.5, and in 15 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, 57 to 71 years of age, 1.7 mm per min, SD: 0.8 (P < 0.001). Many regions of the tracheal mucosa showed zones of absent mucociliary clearance in the patients; in the normal nonsmokers, no such zones were seen. Thus, mucociliary clearance was impaired in the trachea of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Fifteen minutes after subcutaneous administration of 0.25 mg of terbutaline, a new beta adrenergic agent, no change in tracheal mucous velocity was found in the normal subjects, but in the patients with obstructive lung disease, ...