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Title: Air-pollution effects on nasal function. Final report, June 1986-June 1987

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7125442

The investigators performed a series of studies to determine whether sulfur dioxide or ozone increase nasal symptoms, nasal resistance to airflow, or nasal responses to other stimuli. In the first study, it was found that sulfur dioxide did not acutely increase nasal symptoms or resistance to airflow in 12 subjects with demonstrated nasal responsiveness to instillation of antigen, or in 10 subjects with a history of nasal responsiveness to antigenic or nonantigenic stimuli. In a second study, it was found that ozone tended to cause an increase in rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and sneezing. However, this increase in symptoms was not statistically significant, was small when compared to the effects of intranasal antigen, and was not associated with a statistically significant, increase in nasal resistance. Biochemical and cellular analysis of nasal lavage fluid from 8 of these subjects did not show a consistent or striking ozone-induced change in histamine, protein, or inflammatory cells in nasal secretions. Finally, results from the third study suggest that ozone augments nasal responsiveness to antigen in at least some subjects with allergic rhinitis.

Research Organization:
California Univ., San Francisco (USA). Cardiovascular Research Inst.
OSTI ID:
7125442
Report Number(s):
PB-88-215629/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English