Cardiorespiratory and immune response to physical activity following exposure to a typical smoking environment.
OBJECTIVE
Millions of non-smokers suffer daily passive smoking (PS) at home or at work, many of whom then have to walk fast for several minutes or climb a few sets of stairs. We conducted a randomised single-blind crossover experiment to assess the cardiorespiratory and immune response to physical activity following PS.


METHODS
Data were obtained from 17 (eight women) non-smoking adults during and following 30 minutes of moderate cycling administered at baseline and at 0 hour, 1 hour and 3 hours following a 1-hour PS exposure set at bar/restaurant PS levels.


RESULTS
We found that PS was associated with a 36% and 38.7% decrease in mean power output in men and women, respectively, and that this effect persisted up to 3 hours (p<0.05). Moreover, at 0 hour almost all cardiorespiratory and immune variables measured were markedly reduced (p<0.05). For instance, FEV(1) values at 0 hour dropped by 10.2% in men and 10.8% in women, while IL-5 increased by 59.2% in men and 44% in women, respectively (p<0.05). At 3-hour mean values of respiratory quotient, mean power, perceived exertion, cotinine, FEV(1), IL-5, IL-6 and INFgamma in both sexes, recovery diastolic and mean arterial pressure, IL-4 and TNFalpha in men, as well as percentage predicted FEV(1) in women remained different compared to baseline (p<0.05). Also, some of the PS effects were exacerbated in less fit individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that 1 hour of PS at bar/restaurant levels adversely affects the response to moderate physical activity in healthy non-smokers for at least 3 hours following PS.
Flouris
Andreas D
AD
FAME Laboratory, Institute of Human Performance and Rehabilitation, Centre for Research and Technology Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, Greece. aflouris@cereteth.gr
Metsios
Giorgos S
GS
Jamurtas
Athanasios Z
AZ
Koutedakis
Yiannis
Y
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000276:immunology; D012147:Restaurants; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000276:immunology
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine