Blood markers link firefighters' lung disease to WTC attacks
Firefighters who developed lung disease after responding to 11 September attacks in New York connected to specific metabolic profile
Two dozen metabolites in blood samples from firefighters who were exposed to the dust and smoke from the World Trade Center (WTC) towers during the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, can accurately predict which will develop lung disease.
The research, carried out by a team at New York University, showed that certain metabolic changes in the blood of these firefighters were ‘highly predictive’ of subsequent obstructive airway disease and lung injury.