Effects of isolated clearance rhinopharyngeal retrograde and clearance rhinopharyngeal retrograde associated with the irrigation of isotonic saline solution (0.9% NaCl) on the nasal mucus properties, celularity, and in nasal lavage and the nasal symptoms in professional motorcyclists exposed to air pollutions in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Rhinopharyngeal Retrograde Clearance (RRC) is a respiratory therapy technique applied to infants with upper airway obstruction that may also be associated with nasal irrigation with isotonic saline for removal of viscous mucus adhered to the walls of the airways. OBJECTIVE: Characterize the profile of professional motorcycles exposed to urban pollution in relation to the nasal mucociliary transport (NMCT), inflammation of the upper airways and nasal symptoms and compare the effect of DRR alone and associated with instillation of isotonic saline (RCC + S). METHODS: Twenty-four volunteers were randomly divided into two groups (RCC and RCC + S) and were submitted to 15 consecutive days of treatment. The baseline and post-intervention consisted of analysis of the transit saccharin test, the total and differential cellularity nasal lavage, and symptoms of upper airway through the SNOT-20, as well as the study of personal exposure to air pollution, by analyzing the concentration of diffuse nitrogen dioxide monitoring system. The NMCT was evaluated with ANOVA for repeated measures and the SNOT-20 with the Mann-Whitney test. The correlations between the concentration of NO2 and the upper airway outcomes were tested using the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The groups showed similar demographic and clinical data. The NMCT was abnormal in 25% of the volunteers and 100% of the volunteers had symptoms of upper airways. After treatment the upper airway symptoms and the NMCT showed significant improvement despite the increase in the number of macrophages and ciliated cells on the nasal lavage. No correlation was observed between dioxide nitrogen and TMCN and with the symptoms of the upper airways. CONCLUSION: Nonpharmacological, simple and inexpensive techniques are effective to treat abnormal NMCT and improve symptoms of upper airway in nonsmoking adults