The effect of systemic hydration on normal and impaired mucociliary function.

Whether systemic hydration enhances the clearance of lower airway secretions in normal lungs and in lungs during antigen-induced bronchial obstruction was studied. In five conscious allergic sheep, tracheal mucus velocity (TMV) as an index of lower airway mucociliary clearance was measured before and serially for 60 minutes following intravenous infusion of 5% dextrose solution at volumes ranging from 5 to 35 ml/kg. None of these fluid regimens had a significant effect on TMV, although there was a tendency toward a slowing of TMV at the higher volumes of 25 and 35 ml/kg. After producing an acute allergic airway response by inhalation challenge with specific antigen, there was a decrease in mean TMV by 27% and 15% before sham infusion and infusion of 35 ml/kg of dextrose solution, respectively. During the subsequent 60-minute observation period, mucociliary transport was further impaired by dextrose infusion, with mean TMV being lower after dextrose infusion than after sham infusion at all times of measurement (P less than 0.05). The lowest value was reached 30 minutes after dextrose infusion (45% of control). It was concluded that systemic hydration does not significantly alter airway mucociliary transport in the normal state but further impairs mucociliary transport during allergic mucociliary dysfunction. This raises questions regarding the therapeutic role of systemic hydration in the treatment of children and adults who have bronchial asthma.