Assessment of nasal mucociliary activity in patients with Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate nasal mucociliary clearance in patients with Behçet's disease. METHODS: Thirty patients with Behçet's disease, diagnosed on the basis of criteria defined by the International Study Group for Behçet's Disease, and 30 healthy individuals were recruited. In both groups, individuals with conditions that could affect nasal mucociliary clearance were excluded. Nasal mucociliary clearance time was evaluated using saccharin tests. The time between placement of a saccharin tablet and the tasting of the saccharin was measured and recorded as the saccharin clearance time. RESULTS: The mean nasal mucociliary clearance time was significantly longer in the Behçet's disease patients than in the control subjects (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between Behçet's disease duration and nasal mucociliary clearance time (p < 0.001, r = 0.882). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that nasal mucociliary clearance time is longer in Behçet's disease patients than in control subjects, and is positively correlated with disease duration.