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Exposure to wood smoke particles produces an inflammation in healthy volunteers
Citation:
GHIO, A. J., J. M. SOUKUP, M. W. CASE, L. A. DAILEY, J. Richards, J. Bernsten, R. B. DEVLIN, S. Stone, AND A. RAPPOLD. Exposure to wood smoke particles produces an inflammation in healthy volunteers. OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE. BMJ / British Medical Journal Publishing Group, London, Uk, 69(3):170-5, (2012).
Impact/Purpose:
This investigation reports systemic and pulmonary inflammation in healthy human volunteers exposed to 500 ug/m3 woodsmoke particle for 2 hours.
Description:
Background. Human exposure to wood smoke particles (WSP) is of consequence in indoor air quality, exposures from wild fires, burning ofbiomass, and air pollution. This investigation tested the postulate that healthy volunteers exposed to WSP would demonstrate pulmonary and cardiovascular changes. Methods. Ten volunteers were exposed to filtered air and, 3 weeks or more later, WSP. Each exposure included alternating 15 minutes of exercise and 15 minutes of rest for a total duration of 2 hours. Wood smoke was generated by an oak log smoldering on an electric heating element and delivered to the exposure chamber. Endpoints included symptoms, pulmonary function tests, measures of heart rate variability and repolarization, blood indices, and analysis of cells and fluid obtained during bronchoalveolar lavage. Results. Mean particle mass for the ten exposures to air and WSP was measured by filter mass and found to be below the detectable limit and 485±84 ug/m3 respectively (mean ± standard deviation). There was no change in symptom prevalence and pulmonary function tests showed no significant differences. Blood tests demonstrated an increased percentage ofneutrophils 20 hours after wood smoke exposure. Approximately 20 hours after exposure, the bronchial and bronchoalveolar lavage revealed a neutrophilic influx following WSP. Conclusions. We conclude that exposure of healthy volunteers to WSP is associated with evidence of both systemic and pulmonary inflammation.
