Figure 1.

Environmental factors increase expression of adhesion molecules and induce both systemic inflammation and local airway inflammation. Local airway inflammation results in lung tissue injury and lower FEV₁ and FVC. Local lung injury results in the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and results in the recruitment of proinflammatory cells and cytokines to the site of airway inflammation, resulting in increased concentrations of circulating adhesion molecules.