Interstitial Lung Disease and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis: a World Trade Center Cohort 20-Year Longitudinal Study.

Purpose: World Trade Center (WTC) exposure is associated with obstructive airway diseases and sarcoidosis. There is limited research regarding the incidence and progression of non-sarcoidosis interstitial lung diseases (ILD) after WTC-exposure. ILD encompasses parenchymal diseases which may lead to progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF).

Normal Lung Function and Mortality in World Trade Center Responders and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Participants.

Low FEV is a biomarker of increased mortality. The association of normal lung function and mortality is not well described. To evaluate the FEV-mortality association among participants with normal lung function.

Sex, Ethnicity, Body Mass Index, and Environmental Exposures Associated With NSAID-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease Symptom Sequence.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) has a triad of symptoms: nasal polyposis, asthma, and NSAID hypersensitivity. Little is known about symptom timing and disease progression.

Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize disease progression in N-ERD.

Association of Lung Function Decline with All-Cause and Cancer-Cause Mortality after World Trade Center Dust Exposure.

In numerous cohorts, lung function decline is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular-cause mortality, but the association between the decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV) and cancer-cause mortality, particularly after occupational/environmental exposure(s), is unclear. Exposure to dust/smoke from the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster caused inflammation and lung injury in Fire Department of the City of New York rescue/recovery workers. In addition, prior research found that >10% of the cohort experienced greater than twice the age-related decrease in FEV (⩾64 ml/yr).

Serum Th-2 cytokines and FEV decline in WTC-exposed firefighters: A 19-year longitudinal study.

Background: Accelerated-FEV -decline, defined as rate of decline in FEV  > 64 ml/year, is a risk factor for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. Accelerated-FEV -decline in this cohort is associated with elevated blood eosinophil concentrations, a mediator of Th-2 response. We hypothesized that an association exists between Th-2 biomarkers and FEV decline rate in those with accelerated-FEV -decline.

Improving Team Skills of Health Care Practitioners: Effects of an Interprofessional Education Program.

Introduction: Health care practitioners in Parkinson's care need to learn effective interprofessional team skills. This study examines posttraining effects on team skills of health practitioners attending an interprofessional education (IPE) program for team-based Parkinson's care.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design, practitioners (n = 236) in nine professions (physician, nurse and nurse practitioner, physician assistant, occupational, physical and music therapy, speech-language pathology, and social work) completed the validated, self-report Team Skills Scale, before and after the training.

Factors Predicting Treatment of World Trade Center-Related Lung Injury: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

The factors that predict treatment of lung injury in occupational cohorts are poorly defined. We aimed to identify patient characteristics associated with initiation of treatment with inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta-agonist (ICS/LABA) >2 years among World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. The study population included 8530 WTC-exposed firefighters.

Randomized phase 2 trial of Intravenous Gamma Globulin (IVIG) for the treatment of acute vaso-occlusive crisis in patients with sickle cell disease: Lessons learned from the midpoint analysis.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic hemolytic disorder associated with frequent pain episodes, end organ damage and a shortened lifespan. Currently there exist no disease specific targeted therapies for the treatment of acute vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and management with analgesics and hydration is purely supportive. Improvement in understanding of disease pathophysiology has resulted in a great interest in disease modifying novel therapies and many are being evaluated in clinical trials.

Tracheotomy in a High-Volume Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluating the Surgeon's Risk.

Objective: Performing tracheotomy in patients with COVID-19 carries a risk of transmission to the surgical team due to potential viral particle aerosolization. Few studies have reported transmission rates to tracheotomy surgeons. We describe our safety practices and the transmission rate to our surgical team after performing tracheotomy on patients with COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic at a US epicenter.

Long-term Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Firefighters After the World Trade Center Disaster.

Importance: Published studies examining the association between World Trade Center (WTC) exposure on and after September 11, 2001, and longer-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes have reported mixed findings.

Objective: To assess whether WTC exposure was associated with elevated CVD risk in Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) firefighters.

Design, Settings, And Participants: In this cohort study, the association between WTC exposure and the risk of CVD was assessed between September 11, 2001, and December 31, 2017, in FDNY male firefighters.

Splenectomy is not associated with a higher tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in people with sickle cell anemia.

Background: Vascular complications such as pulmonary hypertension (PH) occur at an increased rate following splenectomy in patients with various hemolytic blood disorders including thalassemia. The goal of this retrospective cross-sectional analysis was to assess the independent association of splenectomy with an elevated tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) in people with homozygous sickle cell disease (HbSS). TRV is a noninvasive screening test for PH and a surrogate marker of prognosis in sickle cell disease (SCD).

Abnormalities on Chest Computed Tomography and Lung Function Following an Intense Dust Exposure: A 17-Year Longitudinal Study.

Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) firefighters experienced intense dust exposure working at the World Trade Center (WTC) site on and after 11/9/2001 (9/11). We hypothesized that high-intensity WTC exposure caused abnormalities found on chest computed tomography (CT). Between 11/9/2001-10/9/2018, 4277 firefighters underwent a clinically-indicated chest CT.

Depressive symptom dimensions and medication non-adherence in suboptimally controlled type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Research suggests differential effects for somatic and cognitive-affective depressive symptoms in predicting health outcomes. This study evaluated differential relations with medication non-adherence among disadvantaged, and predominantly immigrant adults with sub-optimally controlled type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Health plan members taking oral diabetes medication and who had A1c ≥ 7.

Risk factors for post-9/11 chronic rhinosinusitis in Fire Department of the City of New York workers.

Objectives: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has high socioeconomic burden but underexplored risk factors. The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on 11 September 2001 (9/11) caused dust and smoke exposure, leading to paranasal sinus inflammation and CRS. We aim to determine which job tasks are risk factors for CRS in WTC-exposed Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) workers.

Predictors of Asthma/COPD Overlap in FDNY Firefighters With World Trade Center Dust Exposure: A Longitudinal Study.

Background: Previously healthy firefighters with World Trade Center (WTC) dust exposure developed airway disease. Risk factors for irritant-associated asthma/COPD overlap are poorly defined.

Methods: This study included 2,137 WTC-exposed firefighters who underwent a clinically indicated bronchodilator pulmonary function test (BD-PFT) between 9/11/2001 and 9/10/2017.

Incidence and prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus in FDNY first responders before and after work at the World Trade Center disaster site.

Background: The goals of this study were to assess the impact of work at the World Trade Center (WTC) site in relation to new, post-9/11/2001 (9/11) antibody to hepatitis C Virus (anti-HCV); and, evaluate secular trends in WTC-exposed male Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responders.

Methods: FDNY monitors responder health through physical exams and routine blood work. We used descriptive statistics to compare trans-9/11 and post-9/11 incidence and to assess trends in prevalence from 2000 to 2012.

Safety and Outcomes of Oral Graded Challenges to Amoxicillin without Prior Skin Testing.

Background: Unconfirmed penicillin allergy poses substantial public health consequences. The most widely accepted protocol to evaluate penicillin allergy is skin testing followed by an amoxicillin challenge.

Objective: To evaluate the safety of direct oral graded challenges to amoxicillin.

Multiple Myeloma and Its Precursor Disease Among Firefighters Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster.

Importance: The World Trade Center (WTC) attacks on September 11, 2001, created an unprecedented environmental exposure to known and suspected carcinogens suggested to increase the risk of multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is consistently preceded by the precursor states of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and light-chain MGUS, detectable in peripheral blood.

Objective: To characterize WTC-exposed firefighters with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma and to conduct a screening study for MGUS and light-chain MGUS.

Blood Leukocyte Concentrations, FEV Decline, and Airflow Limitation. A 15-Year Longitudinal Study of World Trade Center-exposed Firefighters.

Rationale: Rescue/recovery work at the World Trade Center disaster site (WTC) caused a proximate decline in lung function in Fire Department of the City of New York firefighters. A subset of this cohort experienced an accelerated rate of lung function decline over 15 years of post-September 11, 2001 (9/11) follow-up.

Objectives: To determine if early postexposure blood leukocyte concentrations are biomarkers for subsequent FEV decline and incident airflow limitation.

Development and Evaluation of a Web-Based Dermatology Teaching Tool for Preclinical Medical Students.

Introduction: There is growing interest in, and emphasis on, electronic teaching tools in medicine. Despite relevant testing on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), American medical schools offer limited training in skin disorders. Teaching visual topics like dermatology in classroom formats is challenging.

Racial/ethnic disparity in the associations of smoking status with uncontrolled hypertension subtypes among hypertensive subjects.

Background: Racial/ethnic differences in the associations of smoking with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) and its subtypes (isolated uncontrolled systolic BP (SBP), uncontrolled systolic-diastolic BP, and isolated uncontrolled diastolic BP (DBP)) have not been investigated among diagnosed hypertensive subjects.

Methods: A sample of 7,586 hypertensive patients aged ≥18 years were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2010. Race/ethnicity was classified into Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, and non-Hispanic black.

An age dependent response to hydroxyurea in pediatric sickle cell anemia patients with alpha thalassemia trait.

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a key drug therapy for individuals with sickle cell anemia (SCA), yet its clinical and hematologic responses can be variable. Various studies have reported the role of α-thalassemia as one of the most prevalent heritable traits that may modify HU response. We provide data from 62 pediatric and adolescent patients with SCA, 26 with co-inherited α-thalassemia trait.

New Dimensions in Renal Transplant Sonography: Applications of 3-Dimensional Ultrasound.

Background: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of adding 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in evaluation of renal transplant vasculature compared to 2-dimensional (2D) Duplex ultrasound.

Methods: One hundred thirteen consecutive renal transplant 2D and 3D ultrasound examinations were performed and retrospectively reviewed by 2 board-certified radiologists and a radiology resident individually; each reviewed 2D and then 3D images, including color and spectral Doppler. They recorded ability to visualize the surgical anastomosis and rated visualization on a subjective scale.

Risk factors and prognosis of ovarian vein thrombosis.

: Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) remains poorly understood with no consensus regarding its importance or treatment. In this retrospective study, we investigated the clinical features, risk factors, treatment patterns, and prognosis of patients with OVT, including venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrences. Adult patients who presented to our medical center with an identifiable diagnosis of OVT over a 10-year period were included in this retrospective observational study.