Prolonged effect of e-cigarette use on pulmonary function: A Pilot Study

This study aimed to investigate the effect of prolonged e-cigarette use on the pulmonary function tests (PFTs) of young individuals using a within-subject design. In this study, 22 current primarily e-cigarette users aged 21–35 years underwent PFTs at baseline and a follow-up (mean 12.48±7.03 months). Both assessments were conducted after 12 hours of plasma nicotine validated abstinence from all tobacco products to remove any carry-over effect of recent e-cigarettes or other tobacco use on the study’s outcomes. The PFTs (eg, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity and their ratio) were measured simultaneously (between 09:00 and 11:00) according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines. Frequency of daily e-cigarette use was also considered to assess the relationships with pulmonary function changes. Overall, a statistically significant reduction of PFTs (eg, FEV1: 3.85±0.77 vs 3.75±0.74, p=0.0355) was found among the participants in the follow-up pulmonary function assessment. Regarding the frequency of e-cigarette use, after adjusting for potential confounders, participants showed a declining trend in PFTs as daily e-cigarette use increases. This study provides the preliminary evidence of the potential of chronic e-cigarette use to induce persistent changes in respiratory function. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05205382, NCT05338801).