title: The effects of on-site measured ozone concentration on pulmonary function and symptoms of asthmatics.
abstract: Most studies on the effects of ambient ozone on asthmatics have been based on ozone concentration measurements taken by air monitors in downtown areas. Using a passive ozone sampler, we investigated the effects of on-site ozone concentrations on the pulmonary function and symptoms of asthmatics. Twenty moderate to severe asthmatics who had been managed for at least 2 months without changes of their medication were enrolled from 3 June to 18 July 2005. Respiratory, nasal and ocular symptoms, peak expiratory flow (PEF), which was measured twice a day, and medication use were recorded on a daily basis during the study period. Data for 17 subjects were analyzed. The average ozone exposure level was 28.2+/-23.6 ppb (3.4-315.3 ppb). There was no significant correlation between PEF and ozone concentration (p>0.05) on the same day or 1-, 2-, or 3-day lags. Interestingly, the degree of asthma symptoms was influenced by the ozone concentration (rho=0.303, p<0.001), even at concentrations less than 80 ppb (p=0.298, p<0.001), but the correlation between ozone exposure and the frequency of reliever medication use was not statistically significant (p=0.99). Our results suggest that exposure to relatively low concentrations of ozone influences the symptoms of moderate to severe asthmatics regardless of changes in pulmonary function or medication use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Doh Hyung
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youn Seup
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Seuk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ho Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Kye Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang-Rok
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Koo
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D010126:Ozone