This was a 30-year-old non-smoker male, born by non-consanguineous parents. He presented to the outpatient clinic (in May 2006) with chief complaints of recurrent episodes of common cold, sneezing, and cough with expectoration for the past 10 years, exertional shortness of breath for the last 5 years. The patient also revealed that he frequently developed cough, cold, rhinorrhea, nasal blockade, and ear discharge during childhood. At the time of the first visit, the vital parameters were within normal limits. Physical examination revealed grade 2 digital clubbing. On auscultation, bilateral wheeze and right basal crackles were audible. Electrocardiogram showed evidence of dextrocardia. Chest CT scan was done on May 18, 2006, and revealed dextrocardia, and diffuse bronchiectasis. Spirometric evaluation showed moderate obstruction. In the follow up visits the patients showed a progressive impairment of functional respiratory pattern. In 2007 the nasal brushing was performed, with demonstration of 100% cilia lacking of inner dynein arm associated with axonemal disorganization in 60% of the cilia, presumably related to defects in the radial spokes (Figure ). In 2008 pulmonary function tests showed severe obstruction in spirometry and respiratory failure with low oxygen level in artery blood sample. The patient died in 2010.
This was a 32-year-old non-smoker female. She presented to the outpatient clinic (in October 2007) with chief complaints of recurrent cold, cough with copious expectoration, and progressively increasing shortness of breath for the last 3 years. She had been married for the last 6 years, without children. Her past history was significant in that she had had frequent visits for recurrent chest infections. Her family history revealed no parental consanguinity. Main purpose of the visit in our Unit was a planned pregnancy. At the time of the first visit, the vital parameters were within regular limits, and thoracic auscultation was normal. The patients was fostered to pregnancy, and she has had three children so far. In 2008 the nasal brushing was performed, showing the absence of outer dynein arms in all the ciliary sections (Figure ). In the last year, she suffered of some exacerbations and pneumonia, with 2 hospitalizations in our Unit. She had more chest CT scans, and the last one was done in 2013 (Figure ). Spirometric evaluation at the follow up visits showed mild to moderate obstruction, and therapy with the MDI fixed combination formoterol/beclometasone was established, with stabilization of functional respiratory pattern between the crisis. Exacerbations were treated with antibiotics, and she is still in maintenance therapy with LABA/ICS inhalant therapy. In 2014 diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis was done.