Those who were directly exposed to the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on 9/11 appear to face an increased risk for developing long-lasting symptoms of acid reflux disease, New York City health researchers reported Tuesday.The current analysis backs up previous indications that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms are more likely to develop in those who also have asthma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But GERD symptoms showed up independent of other health issues for people who were in the vicinity of the Twin Towers when they collapsed. The findings are reported by a team led by Jiehui Li, from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and are published in the Sept. 6 online edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
