Relationship between Nasal Mucociliary Clearance and Nasal Index among Adult Volunteers in Kano, Nigeria: Implications for Respiratory Health

Abstract

Nasal Mucociliary Clearance (NMC) is a vital mechanism that clears foreign particles and pathogens from the nasal cavity, ensuring nasal  health and preventing respiratory infections. Although the nasal index, an anthropometric measurement of nose shape, remains  unstudied in relation to NMC, exploring this link could provide valuable clinical insights into predicting respiratory conditions and nasal disorders. This study aimed to establish the relationship between nasal mucociliary clearance and nasal index among adult volunteers in  Kano. Four hundred and five (405) participants were systematically selected comprising males (233) and females (172) which are all  residents of Kano State, Nigeria. The nasal height and width of each participant were measured using a digital Vernier calliper and the  nasal index was calculated. Nasal Mucociliary Clearance Time (NMCT) was measured using the saccharine test, as the time taken to  experience a sweet taste at the posterior naso-pharynx after the placement of saccharine was recorded as NMC time. The data were  analyzed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 20). The mean age and standard deviation of the study participants were 23±3 years for males  and 21±2 years for females. The mean and standard deviation of the nasal index in the males and females were 89 ± 9 and84±8,  respectively. The mean and standard deviation of NMCT in males was 9 ± 4 min while in females was 8 ± 4 min. This study did not identify  a statistically significant correlation between the nasal index and nasal mucociliary clearance (p≥0.05, r=0.46). However, sexual  dimorphism was found in the nasal index, with males having a significantly higher nasal index than females (p<0.001).This study  established that no significant correlation exists between the nasal index and NMCT, thus it could be inferred that the shape and size of  the nose have no influence on the NMCT.