Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress among adult Former Smoker, Current E-Cigarette Users-Results from Wave 1 PaTh Study.

Introduction:
This article presents the results of a study that examines the levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in exclusive e-cigarette users, dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and other tobacco user groups. The study aims to understand the potential health effects of e-cigarette use.

Key Points:

* The study used data from Wave 1 of the Population assessment of Tobacco and health (PaTh) Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of U.S. adults and youth.
* The study included 3,712 participants, who were grouped into five mutually exclusive tobacco user groups: dual users, exclusive e-cigarette users, exclusive cigarette smokers, recent former smokers, and never tobacco users.
* The study measured four biomarkers of inflammation in blood (IL6, hs-CRP, fibrinogen, sICaM-1) and one biomarker of oxidative stress in urine (F2-isoprostane).
* The study found that dual users had similar levels of inflammatory biomarkers compared with exclusive cigarette smokers, but had a significantly greater concentration of the oxidative stress biomarker F2-isoprostane than exclusive cigarette smokers.
* Former smokers who currently exclusively use e-cigarettes demonstrated significantly lower concentrations of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers compared with current exclusive cigarette smokers.
* The concentration of F2-isoprostane decreased with increasing time since smoking cessation among both exclusive e-cigarette users and former smokers who do not currently use any tobacco.
* The study also found that current exclusive cigarette smokers had higher concentrations of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers compared with never tobacco users.

Main Message:
The study suggests that exclusive e-cigarette users have lower levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers compared with current cigarette smokers, and that the concentration of these biomarkers decreases with increasing time since smoking cessation. however, dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes have similar levels of inflammatory biomarkers compared with exclusive cigarette smokers, but have a significantly greater concentration of the oxidative stress biomarker F2-isoprostane than exclusive cigarette smokers. These findings contribute to an understanding of the potential health effects of e-cigarette use and highlight the importance of further research to assess the long-term health outcomes of e-cigarette use.

Christensen Ch, Chang JT, Rostron BL, et al. Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress among adult Former Smoker, Current E-Cigarette Users-Results from Wave 1 PaTh Study. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the american association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the american Society of Preventive Oncology. 2021;30(10):1947-1955. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-21-0140