Effect of oral salbutamol on mucociliary clearance mechanisms in the lungs.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether or not orally administered salbutamol would affect mucociliary clearance function in the lungs. Salbutamol, 4 mg, was given orally 3 times a day for 7 days to 10 and 9 patients with various chest diseases in stable stage, respectively; the former were also currently taking other medications and the latter, none. Lung function tests, chest x-rays and radioaerosol inhalation lung cine-scintigraphy were performed before and after the administration of salbutamol. There was little qualitative or quantitative difference in mucociliary clearance function in either group before and after the administration of oral salbutamol, although it induced some increases in VC and FEV1.0 and a decrease in RV/TLC ratio in the former and some increases in FEV1.0, FEV1.0% and MMF in the latter. Oral salbutamol seems little to affect the mucociliary clearance function in the lungs.