Ballke E H, Wiersbitzky S, Mahner B, König A
Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität, Greifswald, Germany.
Padiatr Grenzgeb. 1992;31(2):97-101.
The mucosa of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract produces an active transepithelial (or transmural) electric potential difference (tpd), which can be measured (in millivolts, mV). In CF-children receiving oral N-acetyl-cysteine treatment, the tpd of the buccal mucosa is largely the same as that in non-CF-children; the tpd of the nasal mucosa is significantly higher in CF-children. Given orally, N-acetyl-cysteine also provokes a significant decrease in the rectal mucosa tpd in CF-children. We suggest the effect is caused either by an osmotic effect of N-acetyl-cysteine (local), and/or by alteration of the factors regulating basal electrolyte transport/conductance of epithelia (chloride secretion? leaky junction?).
