Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to determine whether responders and survivors of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster experience symptoms of neuropathy at a rate higher than those not exposed. METHODS: A survey of neuropathic symptoms in patients who were and were not exposed at the WTC based upon the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). RESULTS: Even after correction for medical comorbidities, age, and depression, neuropathic symptoms are much more common in those exposed to WTC dust and increase with increasing exposure. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that exposure to WTC dust is associated with neuropathic symptoms.

OBJECTIVE:: The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of residual dust from the World Trade Center (WTC) on rat sciatic nerve. METHODS:: Nerve action potentials were recorded in nerves exposed to dust from the WTC as well as control nerves. RESULTS:: There was a reduction in the conduction velocity of nerves exposed to a high concentration of the dust from the WTC when compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS:: Although there are statistically significant reductions in conduction velocity when exposed to the WTC dust in this pilot study, additional studies both clinical and basic will be needed to further understand the significance of these results.