Heart and diabetes risks after 9/11 exposure in World Trade Center responders
Cardiometabolic diseases in the World Trade Center general responder cohort and the role of subsequent environmental exposures
This project looks at whether people who worked, lived, or cleaned up near the World Trade Center after 9/11 have higher chances of heart disease and diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11222288 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would be part of a large group of World Trade Center responders whose health records, lab tests, and exposure questionnaires collected over 20 years will be analyzed. The team will use the WTCHP General Responder Cohort data held at Mount Sinai, which includes regular physical exams and blood tests from over 43,000 responders. Researchers will link the types and timing of environmental exposures after 9/11 to later development of heart attacks, diabetes, and related cardiometabolic conditions. The work will look at whether later or ongoing environmental exposures changed risks and who may be most affected.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people enrolled in the WTCHP General Responder Cohort—residents, first responders, or cleanup workers who were exposed around the World Trade Center and have follow-up exams in the WTCHP.
Not a fit: People without WTC exposure or who are not enrolled in the WTCHP cohort are unlikely to be impacted directly by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the findings show a clear link, responders with heart disease or diabetes might get recognition as 9/11-related conditions and better access to care and benefits.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has strongly linked 9/11 exposure to respiratory problems and some cancers, but links to heart attacks and diabetes are less well established, so this work builds on limited prior evidence and is partly novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yitshak Sade, Maayan — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Yitshak Sade, Maayan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.