Children who breathed in 9/11'dust' show risks for future heart disease

A recent study has found that children, who breathed in the collapse of the World Trade Towers on 9/11, showed early signs of heart disease risk.

Scientist at NYU Langone Health analyzed blood tests of more than 300 children, almost half of children's come into direct contact to the 9/11 "dust."

According to the scientists, they noted that those, who had direct contact with the debris, had higher levels of "artery-hardening fats" in their blood, reveals the report published in the journal Environmental International.

Lead investigator and health epidemiologist Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, an associate professor at NYU School of Medicine said, "Since 9/11, we have focused a lot of attention on the psychological and mental fallout from witnessing the tragedy, but only now are the potential physical consequences of being within the disaster zone itself becoming clear."

The World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR), which is helping to track the physical and mental health, through annual check-ups, of nearly 2,900 children who either lived or attended school in Lower Manhattan on 9/11.

According to Trasande, the study is the first to link long-term cardiovascular health risks in children from toxic chemical exposure on 9/11.

The long-term risk could be because of exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS - chemicals released into the air as electronics and furniture in the towers burned.

Trasande said, "Our study emphasizes the importance of monitoring the health consequences from 9/11 in children exposed to the dust, and offers hope that early intervention can alleviate some of the dangers to health posed by the disaster.