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Harrison D, Reibman J. World Trade Center-related asthma: clinical care essentials. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2023:1-6. [PMID: 36938642 DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2023.2185191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is defined as a heterogeneous disease with respiratory symptoms (wheeze, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough) that vary over time and intensity, and variable expiratory airflow limitation. Environmental and occupational exposures contribute to its causation. WTC-related or aggravated asthma is considered a World Trace Center (WTC) Health Program certifiable disease. Criteria include defined exposures to the WTC dust and fumes, the presence of symptoms, or aggravated symptoms that are present within 5 years after the last potential for WTC dust/fume exposures (the last 9/11 exposures occurred on July 31, 2002), and a WTC-provider diagnosis of asthma. Asthma is the 3rd most common non-cancer certification among WTC responders and survivors. In this review we provide evidence-based information on the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with WTC-related or aggravated asthma and include peer-reviewed research findings in WTC-exposed populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Harrison
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joan Reibman
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Wang Y, Berger KI, Zhang Y, Shao Y, Goldring RM, Reibman J, Liu M. Novel approach to studying effects of inhalational exposure on lung function in civilians exposed to the World Trade Center disaster. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3218. [PMID: 36828851 PMCID: PMC9958097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30030-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It is increasingly important to study the impact of environmental inhalation exposures on human health in natural or man-made disasters in civilian populations. The members of the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC; WTC Survivors) had complex exposures to environmental disaster from the destruction of WTC towers and can serve to reveal the effects of WTC exposure on the entire spectrum of lung functions. We aimed to investigate the associations between complex WTC exposures and measures of spirometry and oscillometry in WTC Survivors and included 3605 patients enrolled between Oct 1, 2009 and Mar 31, 2018. We performed latent class analysis and identified five latent exposure groups. We applied linear and quantile regressions to estimate the exposure effects on the means and various quantiles of pre-bronchodilator (BD) % predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC ratio, as well as the resistance at an oscillating frequency of 5 Hz (R5), frequency dependence of resistance R5-20, and reactance area (AX). Compared with Group 5, which had low or unknown exposure and was treated as the reference group, Group 1, the local workers with both acute and chronic exposures, had a lower median of % predicted FVC (-3.6; 95% CI: -5.4, -1.7) and higher (more abnormal) measures of AX at 10th quantile (0.77 cmH2O L-1 s; 95% CI: 0.41, 1.13) and 25th quantile (0.80 cmH2O L-1 s; 95% CI: 0.41, 1.20). Results suggested heterogeneous exposures to the WTC disaster had differential effects on the distributions of lung functions in the WTC Survivors. These findings could provide insights for future investigation of environmental disaster exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Wang
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Kenneth I Berger
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Yian Zhang
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Roberta M Goldring
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Joan Reibman
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 1st Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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Baba RY, Zhang Y, Shao Y, Berger KI, Goldring RM, Liu M, Kazeros A, Rosen R, Reibman J. COPD in Smoking and Non-Smoking Community Members Exposed to the World Trade Center Dust and Fumes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19074249. [PMID: 35409931 PMCID: PMC8999000 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19074249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Background: The characteristics of community members exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) dust and fumes with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can provide insight into mechanisms of airflow obstruction in response to an environmental insult, with potential implications for interventions. Methods: We performed a baseline assessment of respiratory symptoms, spirometry, small airway lung function measures using respiratory impulse oscillometry (IOS), and blood biomarkers. COPD was defined by the 2019 GOLD criteria for COPD. Patients in the WTC Environmental Health Center with <5 or ≥5 pack year smoking history were classified as nonsmoker-COPD (ns-COPD) or smoker-COPD (sm-COPD), respectively. Main Results: Between August 2005 and March 2018, 467 of the 3430 evaluated patients (13.6%) fit criteria for COPD. Among patients with COPD, 248 (53.1%) were ns-COPD. Patients with ns-COPD had measures of large airway function (FEV1) and small airway measures (R5−20, AX) that were less abnormal than those with sm-COPD. More ns-COPD compared to sm-COPD had a bronchodilator (BD) response measured by spirometry (24 vs. 14%, p = 0.008) or by IOS (36 vs. 21%, p = 0.002). Blood eosinophils did not differ between ns-COPD and sm-COPD, but blood neutrophils were higher in sm-COPD compared to ns-COPD (p < 0.001). Those with sm-COPD were more likely to be WTC local residents than ns-COPD (p = 0.007). Conclusions: Spirometry findings and small airway measures, as well as inflammatory markers, differed between patients with ns-COPD and sm-COPD. These findings suggest potential for differing mechanisms of airway injury in patients with WTC environmental exposures and have potential therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ridhwan Y. Baba
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (R.Y.B.); (K.I.B.); (R.M.G.); (A.K.)
| | - Yian Zhang
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Kenneth I. Berger
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (R.Y.B.); (K.I.B.); (R.M.G.); (A.K.)
| | - Roberta M. Goldring
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (R.Y.B.); (K.I.B.); (R.M.G.); (A.K.)
| | - Mengling Liu
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.Z.); (Y.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Angeliki Kazeros
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (R.Y.B.); (K.I.B.); (R.M.G.); (A.K.)
| | - Rebecca Rosen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Joan Reibman
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (R.Y.B.); (K.I.B.); (R.M.G.); (A.K.)
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence:
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Reibman J, Caplan-Shaw C, Wu Y, Liu M, Amin MR, Berger KI, Cotrina-Vidal ML, Kazeros A, Durmus N, Fernandez-Beros ME, Goldring RM, Rosen R, Shao Y. Characterization of Persistent Uncontrolled Asthma Symptoms in Community Members Exposed to World Trade Center Dust and Fumes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17186645. [PMID: 32933057 PMCID: PMC7558705 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on the 11th of September, 2001 released a vast amount of aerosolized dust and smoke resulting in acute and chronic exposures to community members as well as responders. The WTC Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC) is a surveillance and treatment program for a diverse population of community members, including local residents and local workers with WTC dust exposure. Many of these patients have reported persistent lower respiratory symptoms (LRS) despite treatment for presumed asthma. Our goal was to identify conditions associated with persistent uncontrolled LRS despite standard asthma management. We recruited 60 patients who were uncontrolled at enrollment and, after a three-month run-in period on high-dose inhaled corticosteroid and long acting bronchodilator, reassessed their status as Uncontrolled or Controlled based on a score from the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Despite this treatment, only 11 participants (18%) gained Controlled status as defined by the ACT. We compared conditions associated with Uncontrolled and Controlled status. Those with Uncontrolled symptoms had higher rates of upper airway symptoms. Many patients had persistent bronchial hyper-reactivity (BHR) and upper airway hyper-reactivity as measured by paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM). We found a significant increasing trend in the percentage of Controlled with respect to the presence of BHR and PVFM. We were unable to identify significant differences in lung function or inflammatory markers in this small group. Our findings suggest persistent upper and lower airway hyper-reactivity that may respond to standard asthma treatment, whereas others with persistent LRS necessitate additional diagnostic evaluation, including a focus on the upper airway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Reibman
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-212-263-6479
| | - Caralee Caplan-Shaw
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Yinxiang Wu
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
| | - Mengling Liu
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Milan R. Amin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Kenneth I. Berger
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Maria L. Cotrina-Vidal
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Angeliki Kazeros
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Nedim Durmus
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
| | - Maria-Elena Fernandez-Beros
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Roberta M. Goldring
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (C.C.-S.); (K.I.B.); (A.K.); (N.D.); (M.-E.F.-B.); (R.M.G.)
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
| | - Rebecca Rosen
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (Y.W.); (M.L.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC H+HC, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.L.C.-V.); (R.R.)
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