Air pollution and the forced expiratory volume in chronic bronchitis

Summary

Fifteen male patients suffering from chronic bronchitis with partially reversible obstructive lung disease, had forced expiratory volume examinations at roughly two-weekly intervals from November, 1963, to May, 1964. Eight of the patients took continuous antibiotics (Methacycline) during this period.

When the results were correlated with daily air pollution reading it appeared that the FEV1 values lowered some days after a high smoke pollution peak rather than at the time. There was, perhaps, a little less fluctuation in the group taking antibiotics.

It is not suggested that this pattern is followed at times when the sulphur dioxide concentration is high but this source of pollution is low in Dublin.