Oral swab detects hidden inflammation in rare lung disease

Researchers at UTHealth Houston have identified different types of hidden systemic inflammation in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia, even when they are not experiencing acute illness.

The findings were published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Led by Ricardo Mosquera, MD, MS, professor and director of pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, and Giuseppe Colasurdo, MD, professor of pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine at McGovern Medical School, the research team found that a simple oral swab can detect the same inflammatory signals identified in blood-making it easier to identify and monitor ongoing inflammation, particularly in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a rare lung disease that affects approximately 1 in every 7,500 to 10,000 live births worldwide. Symptoms often begin in the newborn period. As children grow, they commonly experience chronic wet cough, persistent nasal congestion, recurrent respiratory infections, frequent pneumonias, chronic ear and sinus infections, and asthma-like symptoms. Over time, ongoing inflammation can lead to progressive lung damage if not adequately controlled.

These findings help us understand why lung disease in children with primary ciliary dyskinesia can worsen over time. They open the door to using existing anti-inflammatory therapies in new ways. They also point to better, more precise ways to monitor how patients respond to treatment."

Ricardo Mosquera, MD, MS, professor and director of pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston

Researchers evaluated patients from the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, demonstrating that home-based saliva collection is feasible across diverse populations and could enable simple, needle-free sample collection at home, improving comfort and monitoring.

In the future, researchers believe this approach may help identify which treatments are most likely to work for a particular child and provide an easier way to monitor whether those treatments are effective. Ultimately, their goal is to move toward more personalized care, where treatment decisions are guided by each patient's unique inflammatory profile.

"The impact of this research may extend far beyond primary ciliary dyskinesia," Mosquera said. "Many chronic lung diseases are linked to persistent inflammation, and this simple oral swab could help researchers and clinicians better understand how those conditions affect each patient."

This project was supported by a philanthropic grant (Graham Family Scholar – Project 18624).