Clinical Study attributes
Healthy volunteers and patients with diseases that involve problems clearing mucus from the lungs will be examined and tested to better understand the reasons for recurring lung infections in these patients and to try to develop better ways to diagnose and treat them. The study will also try to identify the genes responsible for these diseases. Healthy volunteers 18 years of age and older and patients 2 years of age or older with suspected primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), variant cystic fibrosis (CF) or pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) may be eligible for this study. Patients enrolled in the Natural History Study of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria at NIH or other NIH natural history protocols may also be enrolled. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures during a 1-day visit at the NIH Clinical Center, as follows: All patients and normal volunteers have the following procedures: * Physical examination and review of medical and genetic history and family genetic history. * Lung function test and measurement of oxygen saturation level. * Nitric oxide measurement to measure the amount of nitric oxide production in the nose: A small tube is placed in the nose while the subject breathes through the mouth into a cardboard tube. All patients have the following additional procedures: * Blood tests for liver and kidney function, blood count, immunoglobulins and pregnancy test (where appropriate). * Blood test or buccal scrape (brushing the inside of the cheek) to obtain DNA to look for gene mutations that cause PCD, CF or PHA. * Scrape biopsy of cell lining the inside of the nose: A small toothpick-sized plastic stick with a tiny cup on the end is used to get nasal lining cells to look at the cilia (hair-like structures that move mucus). * Semen analysis (in some men) to test sperm tail function or structure. Patients suspected of having a variant of CF or PHA, including nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease, have the following additional procedures: * Sweat chloride test: A medicine is placed on the arm to produce sweat; then, a very low level of electric current is applied for 5 to 12 minutes. Sweat is collected in a plastic tube and tested for salt content. * Blood draw for CF genetic testing, if necessary, and to measure levels of the enzyme trypsin. * Saliva collection to measure sodium and chloride content. * Nasal potential difference to measure the electrical activity of the cells lining the inside of the nose: A soft plastic tube filled with a salt solution is passed into the nasal passage and a sterile needle is placed under the skin of the arm. This test provides information about how the lining of the nose is able to get used to changes in temperature and humidity. (Normal volunteers also have this test.)
