Persistence of the acute effects of ozone exposure.

Reexposure to ozone 24 h after an initial exposure results in greater decreases in forced expiratory tests of lung function following the second exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this hyperresponsiveness was present earlier than 24 h or persisted beyond 24 h. Four groups of subjects (n = 6,6,7,7) were exposed to 0.25 ppm ozone and then reexposed at 12, 24, 48, or 72 h, respectively. During the 1-h exposures (Ta = 20 degrees C, RH = 70%) all subjects exercised continuously at approximately 65% of their respective peak VO2; VE averaged 63 L X min-1. The decrease in FEV1.0 after the second ozone exposure was significantly larger than that after the first for subjects reexposed at 12 or 24 h; FEV1.0 dropped 12% and 19% in the 12 h group, and 20% and 35% in the 24 h group. Subjects reexposed at 48 or 72 h had FEV1.0 responses which were not significantly different from the first exposure. Delta FEV1.0 on the first and second exposures were significantly correlated (r = 0.59). Symptoms generally paralleled changes in function. We conclude that the hyperresponsiveness to ozone following exposure to 0.25 ppm ozone under the conditions of this study is apparent within 12 h and is not present at 72 h.