title: Systemic Inflammation Associated With World Trade Center Dust Exposures and Airway Abnormalities in the Local Community.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on September 11, 2001, released massive dust, gas, and fumes with environmental exposures for community members. Many community members have lower respiratory symptoms (LRSs) that began after September 11, 2001, and remain persistent. We evaluated whether systemic inflammation measured by C-reactive protein was associated with WTC dust exposures, persistent LRS, and lung function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community members self-referred for the treatment of symptoms related to September 11, 2001. C-reactive protein and lung function measurements, including spirometry and forced oscillation tests (impulse oscillometry system), were included as routine analyses in patients (2007 to 2012).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased C-reactive protein levels were associated with the type of WTC dust exposure, LRS, reduced spirometry, and increased forced oscillation measurements (n = 724).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ongoing systemic inflammation measured years after the event was associated with WTC dust exposures, persistent LRS, and abnormal lung function in a community cohort. These findings have implications for treatment and surveillance.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Medicine (Drs Kazeros, Caplan-Shaw, Berger, Goldring, Ghumman, Chokshi, Fernandez-Beros, Parsia, Marmor, and Reibman), Department of Population Health (Drs Zhang, Cheng, Shao, Liu, Qian, and Marmor), Department of Environmental Medicine (Drs Zhang, Cheng, Shao, Liu, Qian, and Marmor), and Department of Psychiatry (Dr Levy-Carrick), New York University Langone Medical Center.
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazeros
authors.forename: Enhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yongzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Mengling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Caralee
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caplan-Shaw
authors.forename: Kenneth I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Roberta M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Goldring
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghumman
authors.forename: Neel P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Chokshi
authors.forename: Nomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levy-Carrick
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Beros
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsia
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marmor
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reibman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001980:Bronchi / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004391:Dust; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D047851:September 11 Terrorist Attacks; D013147:Spirometry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; D005740:Gases; D002097:C-Reactive Protein