title: Longitudinal spirometry among patients in a treatment program for community members with World Trade Center-related illness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The course of lung function in community members exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) dust and fumes remains undefined. We studied longitudinal spirometry among patients in the WTC Environmental Health Center (WTCEHC) treatment program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study of 946 WTCEHC patients with repeated spirometry measures analyzed on the population as a whole and stratified by smoking status, initial spirometry pattern, and WTC-related exposure category.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement in forced vital capacity (54.4 mL/yr; 95% confidence interval, 45.0 to 63.8) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (36.8 mL/yr; 95% confidence interval, 29.3 to 44.3) was noted for the population as a whole. Heavy smokers did not improve. Spirometry changes differed depending on initial spirometry pattern and exposure category.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate spirometry improvement in select populations suggesting reversibility in airway injury and reinforcing the importance of continued treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Mengling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Qinyi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Kenneth I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Yongzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turetz
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazeros
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsia
authors.forename: Roberta M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Goldring
authors.forename: Caraleess
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caplan-Shaw
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elena Fernandez-Beros
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marmor
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reibman
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust