Particle Exposure Hazards of Visiting Outdoor Smoking Areas for Patients with Asthma or COPD Even in EU Countries with Comprehensive Smokefree Laws.

ABSTRACT: Smokefree laws are intended to protect against second-hand smoke (SHS) in outdoor areas. We examined if exposure to PM2.5 particles in outdoor smoking areas changed breathing rates in 60 patients with asthma (n = 30) or with COPD (n = 30), in an open, non-randomised, interventional study model in Czechia, Ireland and Spain. The patients wore a PM2.5 particle monitor (AirSpeck) and a breath monitor (RESpeck) for 24 h to determine changes in breathing rates (Br) at rest and during a visit to an outside smoking area. Spirometry and breath CO were measured before and the day after visiting an outdoor smoking area. The PM2.5 levels at the 60 venues were highly variable, ranging from ≥2000 µg/m³ (in 4 premises) to ≤10 µg/m³ (in 3 premises, which had only a sin

SUBMITTER: Keogan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10252725 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature