Mediators and mucociliary clearance in asthma.

Lung mucociliary clearance is significantly reduced in asthmatic patients compared to healthy controls even during clinical remission. Further retardation in mucous clearance occurs during sleep per se and this may be a contributing factor to nocturnal asthma. Chemical mediators of anaphylaxis appear to have various and, sometimes opposing effects on the two essential components for mucociliary clearance, namely cilia and mucus. Some mediators such as leukotrienes C4 and D4 are potent secretagogues and histamine increases the water flux into the lumen of the airways from the mucosa. Slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) reduces mucus transport whereas histamine enhances it. Ciliostimulation has been reported following allergen challenge and this contrasts with the cilioinhibitory effect of asthmatics' sputa. It appears however, that the net effect of the various chemicals of anaphylaxis is one of impairment of mucus clearance. Some pharmacological agents, used for the relief of bronchospasm and control of asthma, also stimulate mucociliary transport, a desirable additional effect.