Salivary biomarker profiles in E-cigarette users and conventional smokers: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction:
This text summarizes the results of a cross-sectional study investigating the salivary biomarker profiles in e-cigarette users and conventional smokers. The study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the impact of e-cigarette use on the host immune response.

Key Points:

* The study involved 64 patients, divided into four groups: no smoking (control), conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and mixed use.
* Gingival status was evaluated by plaque levels and the Silness-Löe gingival index.
* Stimulated whole saliva was collected and analyzed for cytokine levels using multiplex ELISa.
* No significant relationships were found between the biomarkers and age, BMI, number of teeth, or gingivitis.
* Small but statistically significant associations were found between plaque levels and IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-1Ra biomarkers.
* Differences were found in IL-1 β and TNF- α levels between the four groups, with e-cigarette users showing higher IL-1 β levels compared to mixed users (p = .028) and controls having lower TNF- α levels compared to the other three groups (p < .05).
* Previous studies have shown inconsistent results regarding cytokine levels in e-cigarette users, which could be attributed to differences in saliva collection methods, type of saliva, and experimental methods.

Main Message:
The study suggests that e-cigarette use may be associated with altered cytokine levels, similar to conventional smoking. however, further research is needed to better understand the implications of these findings and the long-term effects of e-cigarette use on the host immune response. The safety of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation mechanism should be carefully reconsidered, and longitudinal prospective studies with larger sample sizes are required to draw definitive conclusions.

Faridoun a, Sultan aS, Jabra-Rizk Ma, Weikel D, Varlotta S, Meiller TF. Salivary biomarker profiles in E-cigarette users and conventional smokers: a cross-sectional study. Oral diseases. 2021;27(2):277-279. doi:10.1111/odi.13533