acute e-cig inhalation impacts vascular health: a study in smoking naïve subjects.

Introduction:
This article presents a study on the acute effects of electronic cigarette (e-cig) aerosol inhalation on nonsmokers. The study investigates the impact of e-cig inhalation on blood-based markers of inflammation and oxidative stress and their association with hemodynamic-metabolic MRI parameters quantifying peripheral vascular reactivity, cerebrovascular reactivity, and aortic stiffness.

Key Points:

* The study included 31 healthy nonsmokers who underwent two blood draws and two MRI protocols before and after a single e-cig vaping session.
* after vaping, serum levels of C-reactive protein, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule, and high-mobility group box 1 (hMGB1) and its downstream effector, the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, increased significantly.
* Nitric oxide metabolites decreased, while reactive oxygen species increased after vaping.
* These observations were paralleled by impaired peripheral vascular reactivity and metabolic alterations expressed by decreased venous oxygen saturation.
* The study suggests that a single episode of vaping has adverse impacts on vascular inflammation and function.

Main Message:
The study highlights the potential of e-cigarettes to lead to vascular dysfunction, even when inhaled acutely. The correlation between endothelial cell signaling and vascular function in vivo suggests that vaping could potentially lead to adverse long-term alterations in vascular function in the vaping population. This research emphasizes the need for further investigation into the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette use.

Chatterjee S, Caporale a, Tao Jq, et al. acute e-cig inhalation impacts vascular health: a study in smoking naïve subjects. american journal of physiology heart and circulatory physiology. 2021;320(1):h144-h158. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00628.2020