Hypertonic saline solutions do not influence the solubility of sputum from secretor and non-secretor cystic fibrosis patients

摘要

IntroductionFunctional alterations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) increase the viscoelasticity of pulmonary secretions of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and require the use of therapeutic aerosols. The biochemical properties of exocrine secretions are influenced by the expression of the FUT2 gene which determine the secretor and non-secretor phenotypes of the ABH glycoconjugates. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of secretor and non-secretor phenotypes by means of photoacoustic analysis, both the typical interaction time (t 0) and the solubilization interval (Δt) of the sputum of secretor and non-secretor CF patients nebulized by hypertonic saline solutions at different concentrations.