Effects of short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide concentrations on human bronchial reactivity and lung function.

Eight normal and 8 asthmatic subjects were exposed to NO2 in a modified body box for plethysmography during 20 min at 0,230,460 and 910 micrograms/m3 on 4 separate days. Bronchial reactivity (histamine inhalation test) was measured after exposure to air alone and to 910 micrograms/m3NO2. Airway resistance (Raw), thoracic gas volume (TGV) and specific airway resistance (SRaw) were measured before, during and after exposure. The bronchial reactivity of the asthmatic subjects increased significantly (p = 0.04) by 20 min exposure to 910 micrograms/m3 NO2. In the non-asthmatic group the airway resistance increased significantly (p = 0.03) after 20 min exposure to 460 micrograms/m3 NO2 and decreased significantly (p = 0.01) after 20 min exposure to 910 micrograms/m3 NO2. In the asthmatic group the trend in airway resistance was the same but not statistically significant. In the latter group TGV was significantly decreased (p = 0.02) during exposure to 910 micrograms/m3 NO2. Short term NO2-exposure in concentrations even below 1000 micrograms/m3 seems to have effects on human bronchial reactivity and lung function.