Susceptibility of the aging lung to environmental injury.
Authors
Wang-L; Green-FHY; Smiley-Jewell-SM; Pinkerton-KE
Source
Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2010 Oct; 31(5):539-553
Abstract
With an ever-increasing number of elderly individuals in the world, a better understanding of the issues associated with aging and the environment is needed. The respiratory system is one of the primary interfaces between the body and the external environment. An expanding number of studies suggest that the aging pulmonary system (>65 years) is at increased risk for adverse health effects from environmental insult, such as by air pollutants, infection, and climate change. However, the mechanism(s) for increased susceptibility in this subpopulation are not well understood. In this review, we provide a limited but comprehensive overview of how the lung ages, examples of environmental exposures associated with injury to the aging lung, and potential mechanisms underlying the increased vulnerability of the aging lung to injury from environmental factors.
Keywords
Age-factors; Air-contamination; Disease-incidence; Disease-prevention; Environmental-exposure; Environmental-factors; Environmental-hazards; Environmental-pollution; Inhalation-studies; Pollution; Pulmonary-disorders; Pulmonary-system; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Respiratory-system-disorders; Statistical-analysis;
Author Keywords: Aging lung susceptibility; environmental injury
Contact
Center for Health and the Environment, University of California at Davis, Davis, California
Document Type
Journal Article
Funding Type
Agriculture; Cooperative Agreement
Identifying No.
Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U50-OH-007550
Priority Area
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Source Name
Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
Performing Organization
University of California - Davis
