Particulate matter (PM) pollution has been associated with negative health effects, including exacerbations of @entity565 following exposure to PM peaks. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of short-term exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) in asthmatics, by specifically addressing the effects on airway hyperresponsiveness, lung function and airway @entity32 . Fourteen nonsmoking, atopic asthmatics with stable disease, on continuous treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, were included. All were hyperresponsive to @entity2710 . Each subject was exposed to DE (particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 microm (PM10) 300 microg x m(-3)) and air during 1 h on two separate occasions. Lung function was measured before and immediately after the exposures. Sputum induction was performed 6 h, and @entity2710 inhalation test 24 h, after each exposure. Exposure to DE was associated with a significant increase in the degree of hyperresponsiveness, as compared to after air, of 0.97 doubling concentrations at 24 h after exposure (p < 0.001). DE also induced a significant increase in airway resistance (p=0.004) and in sputum levels of @entity650 (p=0.048). No changes were detected in sputum levels of @entity11129 , eosinophil cationic protein, @entity3335 and @entity687 . This study indicated that short-term exposure to diesel exhaust, equal to high ambient levels of particulate matter, is associated with adverse effects in @entity748 airways, even in the presence of inhaled corticosteroid therapy. The increase in airway responsiveness may provide an important link to epidemiological findings of exacerbations of @entity565 following exposure to particulate matter.

Diesel exhaust enhances airway responsiveness in XXXX subjects.

@entity748 :: ('MESH:D013224', 'Disease') :: ['asthmatic'] @entity32 :: ('MESH:D007249', 'Disease') :: ['inflammation'] @entity650 :: ('3569', 'Gene') :: ['interleukin (IL)-6'] @entity3335 :: ('4353', 'Gene') :: ['myeloperoxidase'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity11129 :: ('CHEBI:29009', 'Chemical') :: ['methyl-histamine'] @entity687 :: ('3576', 'Gene') :: ['IL-8'] @entity2710 :: ('MESH:D016210', 'Chemical') :: ['methacholine']
@entity748 :: (MESH:D013224,Disease) :: ['asthmatic']
