Print friendly version
Primary ciliary dyskinesia
Other Names for this Disease
- Ciliary dyskinesia primary
- ICS
- Immotile cilia syndrome
- Polynesian bronchiectasis
- Polynesian bronchiectasis
See Disclaimer regarding information on this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations outside of the National Institutes of Health.
Overview
Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a genetic disease which affects the upper and lower airways of the lungs. Through an inherited defective gene, the cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the respiratory passages) in individuals affected by this condition are either immotile (unable to move) or dysmotile (they move incorrectly). As a result, the body is not able to keep the lungs and sinuses clear of fluids, which can lead to congestion, infection, and various other complications.[1][2] Because cilia are also present in the brain and reproductive organs, individuals with primary ciliary dyskinesia may also have chronic headaches, hydrocephalus and infertility.[1]
References
- Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. American Lung Association. http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/primary-ciliary-dyskinesia/. Accessed July 12, 2011.
- Kartagener's Syndrome. Kartagener's Syndrome and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Foundation. http://www.kartagener-syndrom.org/cms/index.php/en/deseaseoverview/diseasedefinitions. Accessed March 15, 2011.
Your Questions Answered
by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center3 question(s) from the public on Primary ciliary dyskinesia have been answered. See questions and answers. You can also submit a new question.
On this page
General Information
- Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Primary ciliary dyskinesia. Click on the link to go to GHR and review the information.
- Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. Click on the link to view this information. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
- Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge. Click on the link to read information on this topic.
- PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Primary ciliary dyskinesia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
- The The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Primary ciliary dyskinesia. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.