Acute FeNO and Blood Pressure Responses to Air Pollution Exposure in Young Adults during Physical Activity

Abstract

During physical exercise, the absorbed dose of air pollutants increases. Acute effects of exposure to air pollutants during exercise in healthy young adults remain poorly documented. The aim of this study was to assess the acute responses in fractionated exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and blood pressure to air pollution exposure during exercise in young adults with different physical activity levels (low or high). In this study, 76 healthy university students participating in physical activity classes (low level of physical activity) and attending sports training (high level of physical activity) completed two indoor exercise trials when air pollutant concentrations were high (exposure trial) and when the quality of the air was good (control trial). We monitored indoor particulate matter with diameter <10 µm and <2.5 µm (PM10 and PM2.5) and outdoor PM10, nitric oxides (NO2, NOx, NO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and FeNO were measured at baseline and after 45–60 min of physical activity. There were no significant differences between physiological responses to training performed under different exposure conditions in blood pressure, HR, and SpO2. Significant positive correlations between post-exercise ΔFeNO during exposure trials and ambient air pollutants were found. FeNO increase during the exposure trial was associated with a higher physical activity level and higher outdoor PM10 and NO2 concentrations. In young and healthy adults, some differences in physiological responses to physical activity between polluted and control environments could be observed. Participants with a high physical activity level were more likely to have an increase in FeNO after exercise in a polluted environment but not after the control exercise trials.