Acute effects of short term use of ecigarettes on Airways Physiology and Respiratory Symptoms in Smokers with and without Airway Obstructive Diseases and in Healthy non smokers

BACKGROUND Although the use of e-cigarettes is increasing worldwide, their short and long-term effects remain undefined. We aimed to study the acute effect of short-term use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine on lung function and respiratory symptoms in smokers with airways obstructive disease (COPD, asthma), healthy smokers, and healthy never smokers. METHODS Respiratory symptoms, vital signs, exhaled NO, airway temperature, airway resistance (Raw), specific airway conductance (sGaw) and single nitrogen breath test were assessed before and immediately after short term use of an e-cigarette containing 11mg of nicotine among adults with COPD, asthma, healthy smokers, and never-smokers. The effect of the use of nicotine-free e-cigarettes among healthy never smokers was also studied. RESULTS The majority of participants reported acute cough. Short term use of nicotine e-cigarettes was associated: a) with increased heart rate in all subjects except in the COPD group, b) decreased oxygen saturation in healthy and COPD smokers, c) increased Raw in asthmatic smokers, healthy smokers, and healthy never smokers, d) decreased sGaw in healthy subjects, and e) changed slope of phase III curve in asthmatic smokers. Short-term use of nicotine-free e-cigarettes increased Raw and decreased sGaw among healthy never smokers. CONCLUSIONS Short-term use of an e-cigarette has acute effects on airways physiology and respiratory symptoms in COPD smokers, asthmatic smokers, healthy smokers and healthy never smokers. Ercigarette use was associated with effects in healthy never smokers irrespectively of nicotine concentration. More studies are needed to investigate both short and long-term effects of e-cigarette use