Study Finds No Significant Impact of E-Cigarettes on Lung Function in Short to Medium Term
A recent umbrella review published in Tobacco Use Insights has found no significant variations in respiratory function among electronic cigarette users in the short or medium term, regardless of their usage patterns. The study, conducted by researchers from the Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) at the University of Catania, analyzed 12 systematic reviews on the effects of electronic cigarettes.
The researchers divided the users included in the studies into three groups:
- dual users (who smoke and vape)
- exclusive users (former smokers who switched exclusively to electronic cigarettes)
- naive users (those who have never smoked but use electronic cigarettes)
Dr. Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, one of the study’s authors, stated, “Studies on the most recent electronic devices have shown a reduction in chemical emissions. The results show that, across all user categories, there were no statistically significant changes in respiratory function.“
Renée O’Leary, project leader of the In Silico Science project, added, “The five high and moderate quality systematic reviews included in the analysis provided no definitive evidence of either harm or benefit, regardless of the EC usage pattern.“
The researchers attributed these findings to several factors, including the short-term nature of “acute” studies, which cannot be used to evaluate long-term effects, the lack of consideration for participants’ previous smoking history, and the grouping of occasional and frequent electronic cigarette users together in research.
Prof. Riccardo Polosa, a co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of distinguishing between different patterns of use in future research and addressing the methodological weaknesses and biases found in many previous studies on the subject. He concluded, “But it allows us to state once again that vaping cannot be associated with significant variations in respiratory function.”
The study’s findings provide valuable insights into the short and medium-term effects of electronic cigarette use on lung function. However, further research is needed to address the limitations of previous studies and to better understand the long-term impact of e-cigarette use on respiratory health.
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