The "effective dose" concept in older adults exposed to ozone

Previous research on young adults has indicated that the magnitude of pulmonary function decrements induced by exposure to ambient ozone (O3) is related to the effective dose of O3 inhaled. The effective dose is defined as the product of O3 concentration (in ppm), mean minute ventilation (VE) and duration of exposure (min). The relative contributions of the three components of effective dose to the development of pulmonary function decrements in older adults are unknown. Twelve healthy, nonsmoking men and women (60-79 years) participated in each of four experiments: (1) a 1-h continuous exercise protocol, and (2) a 2-h intermittent exercise protocol, each performed while exposed to filtered air (FA), and to 0.45 ppm O3, resulting in different effective doses of O3. Pulmonary function (forced vital capacity, FVC, functional residual capacity, FRC, and associated calculated parameters) was measured pre- and postexposure. Ozone exposure induced significant decrements in forced expiratory volume in 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 seconds (FEV0.5, 1.0, 3.0), regardless of the exercise protocol. There were no changes in FVC with any exposure protocol. There were significant decrements in forced expiratory flow rate at 25% and 50% of FVC (FEF25%, FEF50%) and in forced expiratory flow rate between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF25-75%) with all four exposures, suggesting a fatigue effect. There were no differences between the decrements induced in FEV1.0 by O3 exposure under the two exercise protocols. The mean exercise VE was 25.3 l/min for the continuous exercise protocol, and was 25.2 l/min for the three exercise periods of the intermittent exercise protocol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)