China News Service, December 2nd (Sun Guogen, Niu Yue, Chen Jing) The reporter learned on the 2nd that the academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the China-Japan Friendship Hospital Wang Chen's research team joined hands with the research team of Professor Kan Haidong from the School of Public Health of Fudan University. The “Chinese Adult Lung Health” study in several provinces found that long-term ozone exposure can negatively affect adult lung function, leading to small airway dysfunction.
Research has established the association between long-term ozone exposure and small airway dysfunction, adding new evidence for the early damage of the respiratory system caused by ozone.
Research results show that long-term ozone exposure is related to decreased lung function in adults and increased risk of small airway dysfunction.
The results have been published in the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine", an authoritative journal in the international respiratory field.
Wang Chen told reporters that a small airway refers to an airway with a lumen less than 2 mm in diameter.
Before the appearance of obstruction of the large airways or obvious respiratory symptoms, the small airways may first show dysfunction and are not easily noticed.
Therefore, small airway dysfunction is considered to be a precursor to common respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
Geographical distribution of research sites on adult lung health in China.
Research schematic photo
While the overall air quality in China has improved, ozone pollution has become increasingly prominent.
What is the effect of long-term ozone exposure on small airways?
A joint study conducted by the two teams found that long-term ozone exposure is related to obstructive airway damage and decreased small airway function.
Studies have found that long-term ozone exposure is associated with an increased risk of small airway dysfunction.
For every 4.9 ppb increase in the average ozone concentration in the warm season, the risk of small airway dysfunction increases by 9%, the risk of small airway dysfunction before bronchodilation increases by 4%, and the risk of small airway dysfunction after bronchodilation increases by 8 %.
Further research by the research team found that long-term ozone exposure has more serious damage to the small airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In the non-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease population, for every 4.9ppb increase in the average ozone concentration during the warm season, the risk of small airway dysfunction increased by 7%; while in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease population, the risk of small airway dysfunction increased 61%.
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