Ciliary beat frequency and the nasal cycle.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) is influenced by the nasal cycle. Nasal patency was assessed by active anterior rhinomanometry and immediately followed by measuring CBF in biopsies taken from the posterior aspect of the inferior turbinates in 22 healthy volunteers. CBF was determined in three different cells of each biopsy by means of a phase-contrast microscope and a photo-electrical cell. The signal was analyzed by a computed power spectrum. The frequency and its shift were calculated for a period of 20 s. The results were as follows: (1) no correlation was found between CBF and nasal patency; (2) CBF in one cell is constant to a high degree; (3) CBF of different cells in the same biopsy specimen varies considerably.