Atopy and upper and lower airway disease among former World Trade Center workers and volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
A large number of workers seemed to have developed upper and lower airway disease (UAD and LAD, respectively) in relation to their occupational exposures at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site. This study examined atopy as a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD and LAD.


METHODS
Atopy was examined in 136 former WTC workers and volunteers by radioallergosorbent test, skin prick testing, or both. Overall prevalence of atopy was estimated, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations of atopy with WTC-related UAD and LAD.


RESULTS
Atopy was prevalent in 54.4% of these WTC workers. Atopy was associated with higher symptom severity scores for both WTC-related UAD and LAD. Atopy was a predictor of WTC-related UAD but not LAD. Early arrival at the WTC site, and pre-2001 asthma diagnosis were predictors of LAD.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of atopy in this population is similar to what has been described for the general U.S. population. Atopy seemed to be a risk factor for presumably WTC-related UAD but not for LAD.
de la Hoz
Rafael E
RE
Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. rafael.delaHoz@mssm.edu
Shohet
Michael R
MR
Wisnivesky
Juan P
JP
Bienenfeld
Laura A
LA
Afilaka
Aboaba A
AA
Herbert
Robin
R
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018635:Rescue Work; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014838:Volunteers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data