E-cigarettes and asthma

Electronic Cigarettes and Asthma

• evidence suggests that many electronic cigarettes (EC) compounds might contribute to the pathogenesis of asthma (1)
  • ECs and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDSs) are now two to three times more popular among adolescents and young adults than among older adults, even though they were originally marketed as a form of smoking cessation assistance for adults with long-term cigarette use (2)
    
    
• lung function seems to deteriorate by the use of EC in patients with asthma, while airway inflammation alters, with the aggravation of T-helper-type-2 (Th2) inflammation being the most prominent but not the exclusive effect (1)
  
  
• EC seems to worsen asthma symptoms and the rate and severity of exacerbations in asthmatics who are current vapers (1)
  
  
• studies have shown that ECs contain potentially toxic components such as propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (also known as glycerol) (VG), varying amounts of nicotine, and flavoring chemicals that may induce respiratory morbidity, especially on the inflamed, asthmatic airway (2)
  
  
• data support a likely detrimental effect of vaping in asthmatic adolescents (3)

Reference:

• Kotoulas SC, Katsaounou P, Riha R, Grigoriou I, Papakosta D, Spyratos D, Porpodis K, Domvri K, Pataka A. Electronic Cigarettes and Asthma: What Do We Know So Far? J Pers Med. 2021 Jul 27;11(8):723. doi: 10.3390/jpm11080723. PMID: 34442368; PMCID: PMC8399607.
• Chatziparasidis G, Kantar A. Vaping in Asthmatic Adolescents: Time to Deal with the Elephant in the Room. Children (Basel). 2022 Feb 24;9(3):311. doi: 10.3390/children9030311. PMID: 35327682; PMCID: PMC8947668.
• Di Cicco M, Sepich M, Ragazzo V, Peroni DG, Comberiati P. Potential effects of E-cigarettes and vaping on pediatric asthma. Minerva Pediatrica. 2020 Oct;72(5):372-382. DOI: 10.23736/s0026-4946.20.05973-3. PMID: 32686924