Characteristics of a residential and working community with diverse exposure to World Trade Center dust, gas, and fumes

Abstract

Objective: To describe physical symptoms in those local residents, local workers, and cleanup workers who were enrolled in a treatment program and had reported symptoms and exposure to the dust, gas, and fumes released with the destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001.

Methods: Symptomatic individuals underwent standardized evaluation and subsequent treatment.

Results: One thousand eight hundred ninety-eight individuals participated in the WTC Environmental Health Center between September 2005 and May 2008. Upper and lower respiratory symptoms that began after September 11, 2001 and persisted at the time of examination were common in each exposure population. Many (31%) had spirometry measurements below the lower limit of normal.

Conclusions: Residents and local workers as well as those with work-associated exposure to WTC dust have new and persistent respiratory symptoms with lung function abnormalities 5 or more years after the WTC destruction.

Figures

Fig. 1

Presence of new onset and persistent symptoms in WTC EHC population (N = 1852). New onset symptoms were defined as those with onset after September 11, 2001 and present on entry into the program. Persistent symptoms were defined as those present at a frequency of more than twice each week in the month preceding entry into the WTC EHC. Data presented for total population and for local workers, residents, cleanup workers, and rescue and recovery workers. Symptoms include cough, wheeze, DOE, chest tightness, sinus, or nasal congestion (sinus or nasal), or symptoms of acid reflux. Data missing for 46 patients.