Older Adults Emit More Respiratory Particles than Younger Adults

Both at rest and during exercise, individuals in their 60s and 70s emitted a larger number and volume of lung aerosol particles than those in their 20s and 30s.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted gaps in our understanding of the spread and control of airborne respiratory diseases. How many infectious particles are produced by different individuals, and how does this production vary with different activities? Researchers evaluated the effects of age, sex, body-mass index (BMI), and exercise on the number and total volume of lung aerosol particles emitted. They recruited healthy nonsmoking younger (age range, 20–39) and older (range, 60–76) adults without any respiratory disease and measured respiratory particle emission at rest and with graded exercise.

Among 80 subjects (20 of each sex in the 2 age groups), significant differences in aerosol particle emission were identified by age but not by sex…

Reviewing Author

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Older Adults Emit More Respiratory Particles than Younger Adults

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Reviewing Author