Elevated peripheral eosinophils are associated with new onset and persistent wheeze and airflow obstruction in World Trade Center exposed individuals

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Asthma
• Personal Author:
  Kazeros, Angeliki ; Maa, Ming-Tyh ; Patrawalla, Paru ; Liu, Mengling ; Shao, Yongzhao ; Turetz, Meredith ; Parsia, Sam ; Caplan-Shaw, Caralee ; Rogers, Linda ; Reibman, Joan
• Description:
  Background
  
  Exposure to World Trade Center (WTC) dust and fumes is associated with onset of asthma-like respiratory symptoms in rescue and recovery workers and exposed community members. Eosinophilic inflammation with increased lung and peripheral eosinophils has been described in subpopulations with asthma. We hypothesized that persistent asthma-like symptoms in WTC-exposed individuals would be associated with systemic inflammation characterized by peripheral eosinophils.
  
  Methods
  
  The WTC Environmental Health Center (EHC) is a treatment program for local residents, local workers, and clean-up workers with presumed WTC-related symptoms. Patients undergo a standardized evaluation including questionnaires and complete blood count. Between 9/2005–3/2009, 2461 individuals enrolled in the program and were available for analysis. Individuals with pre-existing respiratory symptoms or lung disease diagnoses prior to 9/11/2001 and current or significant tobacco use were excluded.
  
  Results
  
  1508 individuals met inclusion criteria. These patients had a mean age of 47 years, were mostly female (51%) and had a diverse race/ethnicity. Respiratory symptoms that developed after WTC dust/fume exposure and remained persistent included dyspnea on exertion (68%), cough (57%), chest tightness (46%), and wheeze (33%). A larger percentage of those with wheeze had elevated peripheral eosinophils compared to those without wheeze (21% vs. 13%, p<0.0001). Individuals with elevated peripheral eosinophils were more likely to have airflow obstruction on spirometry (16% vs. 7%, p = 0.0003).
  
  Conclusions
  
  Peripheral eosinophils were associated with wheeze and reduced lung function in a diverse WTC-exposed population. These data suggest that eosinophils may participate in lung inflammation in this population with symptoms consistent with WTC-related asthma.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Airway Obstruction Article Blood Cell Count Eosinophils Female Humans Leukocytes, Mononuclear Male Middle Aged Pneumonia September 11 Terrorist Attacks Young Adult

  More +
• Source:
  J Asthma. 50(1):25-32.
• Pubmed ID:
  23227974
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4001795
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  E11 OH009630/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States ; T32 ES007267/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United States
• Name as Subject:
  World Trade Center
• Place as Subject:
  New York City, NY
• Volume:
  50
• Issue:
  1
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:16429e1fcbe469dacf09fa39778f05771ec1e29cc5b02286a99c094cf98eb244
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/41953/cdc_41953_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 955.23 KB ]