Lung function in rescue workers at the World Trade Center after 7 years

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Occupational Medicine
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Thousands of Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) rescue workers were exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) dust after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
• Initial studies showed substantial declines in lung function within the first year post-exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term effects of WTC dust exposure on the lung function of FDNY rescue workers.
• To determine if lung function deficits observed in the first year persisted over time.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal analysis of spirometry data from 12,781 FDNY rescue workers (firefighters and EMS personnel).
• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) was measured from March 2000 to September 2008 using linear mixed models.
• Follow-up duration averaged 6.1 years for firefighters and 6.4 years for EMS workers.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in mean FEV(1) was observed in the first year, particularly in never-smoking firefighters and EMS workers.
• Little to no recovery of FEV(1) occurred in the subsequent six years, with ongoing annual reductions.
• The proportion of workers with FEV(1) below the normal range increased significantly in the first year and remained elevated.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to WTC dust caused significant and persistent declines in lung function among FDNY rescue workers.
• The observed lung function deficits did not recover over a six-year follow-up period.
• A substantial percentage of these rescue workers were left with abnormal lung function long-term.