Aging, diabetes, and hypertension are associated with decreased nasal mucociliary clearance.

Background: We showed previously that nasal mucociliary clearance was decreased in critically ill elderly subjects, most of whom had diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or hypertension (HTN). To determine if these changes were due to the effects of aging, disease, or critical illness, we studied nasal mucociliary clearance and mucus properties in an ambulatory population consisting of young, elderly, and healthy subjects and those with DM, HTN, or both.

Methods: Of 440 subjects contacted, 252 entered the study.