Revisited physicochemical and transport properties of respiratory mucus in genotyped cystic fibrosis patients.

We investigated the physicochemical and transport properties of sputum samples collected in physiotherapy from a well-documented group of 27 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with identified CF genotypes. Sputum samples were characterized ex vivo for their water content, surface properties (surface tension and contact angle), rheologic properties (viscosity and elastic modulus), and transport properties (mucociliary and cough transport). These data were analyzed in relation to the clinical status of the patients (FEV1, FVC, Shwachman score, Brasfield score, nutritional status), their genotype, and the degree of infection of their sputa (leukocyte and Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts).