The role of ozone exposure in the epidemiology of asthma

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3431683· OSTI ID:508374

Balmes, J R ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

Asthma is a clinical condition characterized by intermittent respiratory symptoms, nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness, and reversible airway obstruction. Although the pathogenesis of asthma is incompletely understood, it is clear that airway inflammation is a paramount feature of the condition. Because inhalation of ozone by normal, healthy subjects causes increased airway responsiveness and inflammation, it is somewhat surprising that most controlled human exposure studies that have involved asthmatic subjects have not shown them to be especially sensitive to ozone. The acute decrement in lung function that is the end point traditionally used to define sensitivity to ozone in these studies may be due more to neuromuscular mechanisms limiting deep inspiration than to bronchoconstriction. The frequency of asthma attacks following ozone exposures may be a more relevant end point. Epidemiologic studies, rather than controlled human exposure studies, are required to determine whether ozone pollution increases the risk of asthma exacerbations. Asthma affects approximately 10 million people in the United States and, thus, the answer to this question is of considerable public health importance. Both the prevalence and severity of asthma appear to be increasing in many countries. Although increased asthma morbidity and mortality are probably of multifactorial etiology, a contributory role of urban air pollution is plausible. The epidemiologic database to support an association between asthma and ozone exposure is limited, but the results of several studies suggest such an association. Some potential approaches to further investigation of the relationship between asthma and ozone, including those that would link controlled human exposures to population-based studies, are considered. 57 refs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 508374
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal Issue: Suppl.4 Vol. 101; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPAZ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
AIR POLLUTION
ASTHMA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
DISEASE INCIDENCE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ETIOLOGY
INFLAMMATION
INHALATION
MORTALITY
OZONE
PATHOGENESIS
PUBLIC HEALTH
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SYMPTOMS