Tobacco Smoke Upper Respiratory Response Relationships in Healthy Nonsmokers

• Published in: Fundamental and applied toxicology Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 86 - 93
• Main Authors: Bascom, Rebecca, Kesavanathan, Jana, Permutt, Thomas, Fitzgerald, Thomas K., Sauder, Larry, Swift, David L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Elsevier Science (USA) 01.01.1996; San Diego, CA Academic Press; New York, NY
• Subjects: Adult; Atmosphere Exposure Chambers; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Male; Manometry; Medical sciences; Nasal Obstruction - etiology; Nose Diseases - chemically induced; Prospective Studies; Reference Values; Research Design; Respiratory System - drug effects; Respiratory System - physiopathology; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - adverse effects; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; Human; Rhinomanometry; Nose disease; Acoustic measurement; Rhinitis; Upper respiratory tract; Toxicity; Patient; Normal; Obstruction; Dose activity relation; Non smoker; Tobacco; Nose; Passive smoking; ENT disease; Sidestream smoke
• ISSN: 0272-0590; 1095-6832
• DOI: 10.1006/faat.1996.0009

This study determined exposure–response relationships to sidestream tobacco smoke (2 hrs; 0, 1, 5, and 15 ppm CO) in 29 healthy nonsmoking young adults. Sixteen subjects had no history of environmental tobacco smoke rhinitis (ETS-NS) while 13 subjects had a history of ETS rhinitis (ETS-S). Eye irritation and odor perception showed a statistically significant exposure response in both groups; headache was significant in ETS-S and nose irritation was significant in ETS-NS subjects. Significant postexposure (P1) symptoms were first reported at 1 ppm CO among both groups, but in 3/9 symptoms were significantly greater at this exposure level in ETS-S subjects. Nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, and cough increased significantly at 15 ppm CO only. In ETS-S subjects, nasal volume decreased and nasal resistance increased in an exposure-response fashion. ETS-NS subjects had a qualitatively different shape to the exposure–response curve; significant dimensional reductions in mid- and posterior nasal volume occurred with exposure at 1 ppm CO but not at 5 ppm CO and reductions in posterior nasal volume occurred at 15 ppm CO exposure. These studies indicate subjective and objective response relationships with exposure to sidestream tobacco smoke at concentrations from 1 to 15 ppm CO. Some differences are noted among the two subject groups in the magnitude of some symptoms at the lowest exposure level and in the qualitative shape of the acoustic rhinometry and nasal resistance exposure–response curves.