First-Ever Young Adult Lung Health Study Recruiting in New York City

Today, the American Lung Association in New York announced that Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai Respiratory Institute, New York Medical College and Boston Children’s Health Physicians are now accepting participants for a first-of-its-kind large-scale study of young adult lung health. The study locations in New York City are three of 33 sites across the country conducting this study.

The American Lung Association Lung Health Cohort Research Study will track 4,000 young adults (aged 25-35 at time of enrollment) at the age of peak lung health. Scientists across the country will follow these young adults for five years, to start, after their initial interviews to evaluate how their environment, lifestyle and physical activity habits affect respiratory health. People interested in participating can locate a site near them at Lung.org/Lung-Study.

“Historically, lung health has been studied only after the appearance of chronic lung disease. There is a critical need to better understand how a young adult’s lung function declines over time,” said Robert Kaner, MD, principal investigator for the Lung Health Cohort at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “In addition, here in New York, our residents face lung health threats like air pollution, teen vaping and respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19 and RSV. By studying the lung health of young adults in New York City, we can determine how these factors impact respiratory function and develop ways to prevent lung disease or catch it earlier.”

Here are some details about the American Lung Association Lung Health Cohort Research Study:

• It will follow 4,000 young adults at the age of peak lung health, from 25 to 35 years old at time of enrollment, in New York City, as well as 32 other sites across the US, painting a clear picture of lung health across geography and demography.
• Each participant will be tracked for five years, to start, on measures of lung function, respiratory symptoms and information including where they live, where and what they do for work, as well as health behaviors, fitness, biomarkers and chest imaging.
• This study will use low-dose CT scans, which will show any signs of early or intermediate lung injury or abnormalities. Clinicians can use these to build a library of lung images in various stages of health and disease.
• The Lung Association's Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network will conduct the research working closely with researchers at the study sites in New York City. ACRC is the largest national non-profit clinical network dedicated to asthma and COPD research.

The longitudinal study is made possible through a $24.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The Lung Association's Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network are conducting the study through researchers at all center locations.

Those interested in participating in the study can locate a site near them at Lung.org/Lung-Study.