Short term use of an e-cig: influence on clinical symptoms, vital signs and eCO levels
 
More details
Hide details
1
Research unit for Tobacco Control, 1st Respiratory Department, University of Athens, Medical School, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece
 
 
Publication date: 2014-06-06
 
 
Corresponding author
Stamatoula Tsikrika
Research unit for Tobacco Control, 1st Respiratory Department, University of Athens, Medical School, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, 11527, Greece
 
 
Tobacco Induced Diseases 2014;12(Suppl 1):AA30
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Background:
The risks of electronic cigarette are a subject of uncertainty. The study was designed to assess the acute effect of smoking an e- cigarette on vital signs, clinical symptoms and exhaled markers.

Methods:
Sixty two participants (32 men) with a mean age of 45.43 years have been recruited. Sixteen smokers were suffered by COPD, 12 smokers by asthma, 24 smokers had no overt airways disease. All were current smokers with a long smoking history. A group of 10 non-smokers was also included. The same brand of e-cig was used for 10 min inhaled 11mg. Clinical symptoms, vital signs, -heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and exhaled CO, was assessed pre and post the e-cig use.

Results:
Cough and sore throat were presented in both groups, of non-smokers and smokers following the e-cig smoking. Sore throat and cough were reported by 90% of asthmatics and 63% of COPD. A significant increase in heart rate (p<0.05) with palpitations was also noted with a decrease in SpO2 mainly smokers (p<0.05). An interesting finding was the significant increase in exhaled CO in the group of non-smokers (p<0.05). Smoking an e-cig was acceptable and gave a feeling of pleasure in a low number of participants (18% of smokers, 27% of smokers with asthma and 43% in smokers with COPD). There were also a 12% of non smokers who have easily accepted its use.

Conclusions:
Our study shows that even a single use of an e-cigarette increased heart rate and symptoms like cough and sore throat. Claims that electronic cigarettes can help smokers quit need to be backed up by clinical studies and toxicity analyses and operate within the proper regulatory framework.

 
CITATIONS (7):
1.
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Hayden McRobbie, Ailsa Butler, Nicola Lindson, Chris Bullen, Rachna Begh, Annika Theodoulou, Caitlin Notley, Nancy Rigotti, Tari Turner, Thomas Fanshawe, Peter Hajek
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
 
2.
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Hayden McRobbie, Nicola Lindson, Chris Bullen, Rachna Begh, Annika Theodoulou, Caitlin Notley, Nancy Rigotti, Tari Turner, Ailsa Butler, Thomas Fanshawe, Peter Hajek
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
 
3.
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Hayden McRobbie, Ailsa Butler, Nicola Lindson, Chris Bullen, Rachna Begh, Annika Theodoulou, Caitlin Notley, Nancy Rigotti, Tari Turner, Thomas Fanshawe, Peter Hajek
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
 
4.
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Nicola Lindson, Ailsa R Butler, Hayden McRobbie, Chris Bullen, Rachna Begh, Annika Theodoulou, Caitlin Notley, Nancy A Rigotti, Tari Turner, Thomas R Fanshawe, Peter Hajek
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
 
5.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Hayden McRobbie, Chris Bullen, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Peter Hajek, Hayden McRobbie
 
6.
Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Hayden McRobbie, Chris Bullen, Rachna Begh, Lindsay F Stead, Peter Hajek
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
 
7.
E-Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation: A Primer for Oncology Clinicians
Yanina Zborovskaya
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing
 
eISSN:1617-9625
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top