Airways Dysfunction Following WTC Dust Exposure

In the weeks following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, many patients presented to their physicians with complaints related to exposure to the debris. These included nose and throat complaints (drip, congestion, sore throat), increased GE reflux (heartburn, regurgitation, retrosternal chest burning) and respiratory symptoms (worsening cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sleep disturbance). In addition, there was a disproportionate rate of self-reported worsening asthma symptoms in patients living in Lower New York 5-9 weeks after the attack; those with exposure to the dust cloud fared worse. The functional abnormalities of firefighters with exposures to dust at the WTC site has been recently described. However, the effects of WTC dust exposure on pulmonary function in residents and workers near the WTC site remain unclear. This study will retrospectively review the charts of all patients referred to the pulmonary function laboratory for evaluation of symptoms following exposure to WTC dust. The main objectives for this study will be to characterize the functional abnormalities in these subjects.