Allergy and Lung Injury Among Rescue Workers Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster Assessed 17 Years After Exposure to Ground Zero

Objective: Investigate the following in rescue and cleanup workers exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster 17 years post-fallout: (1) allergic hypersensitivity; (2) spirometry; (3) impulse oscillometry; and (4) the reversibility of airway hyperresponsiveness and distal airways narrowing pre- and post-bronchodilator. Methods: In subjects (n = 54) referred to our clinic from the WTC Health Program for management of allergy-immunology services, environmental allergy testing, impulse oscillometry (IOS), and spirometry results were retrospectively reviewed to determine the long-term impact of exposure to the WTC fallout. Results: Rescue and cleanup workers exposed to the WTC fallout had a high incidence of allergic hypersensitivity and had evidence of permanent small airways dysfunction characterized by distal airways narrowing and airway hyperresponsiveness. Conclusion: Following exposure to the WTC disaster, the patients in our cohort developed allergic hypersensitivity and severe lung injury with only partial reversibility.