Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS) Among Rescue and Recovery Workers in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR)

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cone, James E. ; Ekenga C ; Friedman S ; Fung L ; Maslow C ; Stellman SD
• Description:
  Introduction: Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS), also known as irritant induced asthma, is a form of asthma characterized by symptom onset within 24 hours of a high level environmental/occupational exposure. RADS has been documented in World Trade Center (WTC) rescue/recovery workers. Rationale: To characterize to what extent respiratory symptoms and disease management of RADS differ from other forms of newly diagnosed asthma among rescue/recovery workers enrolled in the WTCHR. Methods: 18,334 workers enrolled in a longitudinal study of 9/11 -related health effects in 2003-04 and completed a follow-up survey in 2006-08. 537 workers reported a diagnosis of RADS after 9/11; another 1595 reported an asthma diagnosis after 9/11. The association of RADS with respiratory symptoms in the past month and indicators of asthma management was studied via Prevalence Odds Ratios (PORs) using non-RADS asthmatics as the referent group. Results: Workers with RADS were more likely to report shortness of breath [POR = 2.66 (2.00, 3.55)], wheezing [POR = 2.31 (1.82, 2.94)], and persistent cough [POR = 2.55 (2.05, 3.17)] than other newly diagnosed asthmatics. Workers with RADS were also more likely to report use of an inhaler [POR = 4.03 (2.78, 5.85)] or a visit to an emergency room [POR = 1.72 (1.26, 2.34)] in the last 12 months. Conclusions: 5-6 years after 9/11, workers with RADS were more likely to report lower respiratory symptoms than were other asthmatics. The WTCHR contains one of the largest cohorts of self-reported RADS cases to date. These results suggest that RADS, a diagnosis based on etiology, may be distinguished from non-RADS asthma, based on respiratory symptoms and management. This large longitudinal cohort is a valuable resource for further clarification of the asthma spectrum. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Emergency Responders Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks
• Keywords:
  Disaster Response Rescue Workers Respiratory Diseases World Trade Center WTC
• ISSN:
  1073-449X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  179
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062353
• Citation:
  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009 Apr; 179(Meeting Abstracts):A5853
• Email:
  cekenga@health.nyc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Performing Organization:
  New York City Health/Mental Hygiene
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090430
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
• Supplement:
  Meeting Abstracts
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:45333a536d142285946aa5f579e27e4d797946eb82d567487999d4b789bac3722dfdfd44be8c82de409dbc4b39d4fd4fdec454da199961d8bc41d814837395e5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225620/cdc_225620_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 96.96 KB ]