Study reveals possible effects of air quality changes associated with global warming on human airways

From sweltering hot summer days to frigid winter nights, many people can experience exacerbations in respiratory symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, or viral infection. The incidence of extreme temperature conditions has been increasing for decades, exposing human upper airways to high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), also known as "air dryness." Researchers are now reporting how breathing in these dehydrating atmospheres could promote airway inflammation, leading to disease-causing effects on the lungs.