Reproducibility of the pulmonary function response of older men and women to a 2-hour ozone exposure.

Abstract

To test the reproducibility of the pulmonary function response to ozone exposure in older individuals, eight men and eight women, average age 62.8 years, participated in three 2-hour exposures to 0.45 ppm ozone at 23.3 C and 62.5 percent relative humidity. The first and second exposures were separated by an average time of 17.2 days, and 27.3 days separated the second and third exposures. Subjects alternated riding a bicycle ergometer for 20 minutes at an average minute ventilation of 26 liters BTPS (body temperature pressure, saturated), with 20-minute rest periods. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV-1), and forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC (FEF 25-75%) were measured pre and post exposure. The reproducibility of individual pre-post changes were assessed by calculation of the best linear fit and correlation coefficients between exposures. For FVC and FEV-1, the slopes were significantly different from 1, and correlation coefficients not significantly different from zero, implying that older individuals may not respond consistently to similar ozone exposures.