Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:The characteristics of community members exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) dust and fumes with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can provide insight into mechanisms of airflow obstruction in response to an environmental insult, with potential implications for interventions. METHODS:We performed a baseline assessment of respiratory symptoms, spirometry, small airway lung function measures using respiratory impulse oscillometry (IOS), and blood biomarkers. COPD was defined by the 2019 GOLD criteria for COPD. Patients in the WTC Environmental Health Center with <5 or ≥5 pack year smoking history were classified as nonsmoker-COPD (ns-COPD) or smoker-COPD (sm-COPD), respectively. MAIN RESULTS/RESULTS:= 0.007). CONCLUSIONS:Spirometry findings and small airway measures, as well as inflammatory markers, differed between patients with ns-COPD and sm-COPD. These findings suggest potential for differing mechanisms of airway injury in patients with WTC environmental exposures and have potential therapeutic implications.