Pulmonary Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes: A Scoping Review.

Introduction:
This text summarizes a scoping review of studies on the pulmonary effects of electronic cigarette (EC) use. The review includes 45 studies published between 2009 and 2020. The studies varied in design, sample size, comparisons, and outcomes measured. The review aimed to understand the impact of EC use on pulmonary health and inform public policy decisions.

Key Points:

* The review included 14 randomized experimental studies, 7 nonrandomized experimental studies, 6 cohort studies, and 18 cross-sectional studies.
* The studies were conducted in 12 countries, with the United States being the most frequently studied (36.3%).
* The total number of participants was 1,465,292, with 96.9% (n = 1,419,344) from cross-sectional studies.
* Participants' ages ranged from 12 to 99 years, with half of the cross-sectional studies (n = 10) exclusively enrolling patients 18 years and younger.
* Randomized experimental studies found that vaping significantly decreased lung function and increased airway resistance.
* Nonrandomized experimental studies found that switching from CC smoking to EC use improved cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and quality of life.
* Cohort studies found that EC use was associated with decreased COPD exacerbations and no change in pulmonary function in patients with COPD. However, dual users of EC and CCs had significantly lower health-related quality of life and significantly higher difficulty breathing.
* Cross-sectional studies found that EC use was significantly associated with pulmonary symptoms, COPD diagnosis, and asthma diagnosis.

Main Message:
The scoping review found evidence of an association between EC use and pulmonary illness. The review highlights the need for further research to define outcomes for consistent data collection and reporting on EC-use patterns and components. Additional studies with detailed and comprehensive outcomes, a thorough description of EC-use patterns, and EC sources are needed to fully understand the pulmonary health effects of EC and inform health policy decisions, particularly among adolescents.

Gugala E, Okoh CM, Ghosh S, Moczygemba LR. Pulmonary Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes: A Scoping Review. Health promotion practice. 2022;23(3):388-396. doi:10.1177/1524839920985506