Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Generation of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Model in Mice by Repeated Ozone Exposure
Published on: August 25, 2017
Ozone exposure and lung function: effect modified by obesity and airways hyperresponsiveness in the VA normative
Stacey E Alexeeff1, Augusto A Litonjua, Helen Suh
1Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Landmark Center West, 415, 401 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215, USA. sackerma@hsph.harvard.edu
Background:
Ozone has heterogeneous effects on lung function. We investigated whether obesity and airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) modify the acute effects of ozone on lung function in the elderly.
Methods:
We studied 904 elderly men from the Normative Aging Study whose lung function (FVC, FEV1) was measured approximately every 3 years from 1995 to 2005. We defined obesity as a body mass index of at least 30 kg/m2. Using a standardized methacholine challenge test, we defined AHR as a FEV1 decline of 20% after inhalation of a cumulative dosage of 0 to 8.58 micromol of methacholine. Ambient ozone in the Greater Boston area was measured continuously. We estimated effects using mixed linear models, adjusting for known confounders.
Results:
An increase in ozone of 15 parts per billion during the previous 48 h was associated with a greater decline in FEV1 in the obese (-2.07%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.25 to -0.89%) than in the nonobese (-0.96%; 95% CI, -1.70 to - 0.20%). The same exposure was also associated with a greater decline in FEV1 for those with AHR (-3.07%; 95% CI, -4.75 to -1.36%) compared to those without AHR (-1.32%; 95% CI, -2.06 to -0.57%). A three-way interaction trend test demonstrated a multiplicative effect of those two risk factors (p < 0.001). We found similar associations for FVC.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that both obesity and AHR modify the acute effect of ozone on lung function in the elderly, with evidence of interaction between AHR and obesity that causes a greater than additive effect.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease II: Emphysema
Pulmonary Function Tests
Pulmonary Function Tests are crucial diagnostic tools for assessing respiratory function, particularly in patients with chronic respiratory disorders. They comprehensively evaluate lung volumes, ventilatory function, breathing mechanics, diffusion, and gas exchange. These tests help diagnose pulmonary diseases and play a significant role in monitoring disease progression, evaluating disability, and assessing response to therapy.
PFTs involve using a spirometer, a...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease III: Chronic Bronchitis Features

