Bronchial hyperreactivity and arterial carboxyhemoglobin as detectors of air pollution in Milan: a study on normal subjects.
Research has been carried out in the town area of Milan on 275 subjects. For each patient the following data have been measured: ventilatory profile, aspecific bronchial reactivity, arterial concentration in CO and acid-base balance. The results obtained have been divided into four groups, according to the level of SO2 in the area of residence of the subjects, who have also been studied with reference to the habit of smoking. The data obtained have shown (1) an alteration of the ventilatory function, with decrease of oxygen tension in arterial blood in all subjects. (2) Increase of bronchial irritability and CO concentration in arterial blood have been found in these subjects, with rates higher than those established by the WHO (1.5-1.7). (3) The division of our results according to the level of SO2 pollution in the areas of residence of the patients showed the presence, in the most polluted areas of Milan (NE and SW), of higher levels of bronchial irritability and higher CO rates in arterial blood. (4) Cigarette smoking does not seem to play a major role in causing bronchial irritability. It certainly increases CO concentration: smokers have HbCO concentration higher than nonsmokers in all four areas. (5) Air pollution is more important than cigarette smoking in determining CO saturation of blood. Nonsmokers living in the most polluted areas of Milan (NE) show a higher concentration of CO in arterial blood than smokers living in the less polluted areas (SW).
D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution; D000403:Airway Resistance; D001158:Arteries; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012907:Smoking
D006454:Hemoglobins; D002263:Carboxyhemoglobin