Systemic Effects of Wood Smoke in a Short-Term Experimental Exposure Study of Atopic Volunteers

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether short-term systemic effects of wood smoke occurred in atopic subjects after experimental wood smoke exposures. METHODS A double-blind climate chamber study was conducted on 20 healthy atopic subjects with exposures to filtered air and wood smoke. Pneumoproteins, coagulation and adhesion factors, and cytokines were measured. Heart rate was monitored with pulse monitors. Data were analyzed with mixed models. RESULTS Few differences in the outcomes were observed. Plasma tissue factor remained elevated during filtered air exposure (P = 0.002). P-selectin declined independent of exposure (P = 0.0006). Interleukin-6 increased after filtered air (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed previous observations among nonatopics of limited changes after a 3-hour wood smoke exposure.