Lung :: Firefighters report increase in lung illness from WTC dust

New-onset sarcoidosis of the lung is on the rise among Ground Zero firefighters, according to a new study.

During the 5 years post-World Trade Center (WTC) collapse, researchers from the NYC Fire Department Health Services, New York University, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, report an additional 26 firefighters who now suffer from the inflammatory illness.

All of the firefighters were enrolled in the Fire Department of New York?s (FDNY) WTC Monitoring and Treatment Programs and underwent chest CT imaging, pulmonary function testing, provocative challenge, and biopsy. Researchers compared the annual incidence rates to the 15 years pre-WTC collapse and suggest that these findings are significant.

This study appears in the May issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.


Leave a Comment