Acute effects of e-cigarette vaping on pulmonary function and airway inflammation in healthy individuals and in patients with asthma

Abstract

Background and objective The acute effects of e-cigarettes have not been scientifically demonstrated yet. The aim of this study was to assess the acute changes in pulmonary function and airway inflammation in patients with asthma after vaping one e-cigarette. Methods Twenty-five smokers suffering from stable moderate asthma according to GINA guidelines with no other comorbidities and 25 healthy smokers matched with the baseline characteristics of the asthmatic patients were recruited. PFT, IOS, FeNO and EBC were performed before and after vaping one e-cigarette with nicotine. pH and concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, TNF-alpha, ISO8 and LTB4 were measured in EBC. Results FFEV1/FVC ratio and PEF were reduced in asthmatic patients after e-cigarette. Z5Hz and R5Hz, R10Hz and R20Hz increased in both groups. FeNO and EBC pH increased by 3.60 ppb (P = 0.001) and 0.15 (P = 0.014) in asthmatic patients after e-cigarette, whereas they decreased in control group by 3.28 ppb (P < 0.001) and 0.12 (P = 0.064), respectively. The concentrations of IL-10, TNF-alpha and ISO8 in EBC increased in asthmatic patients after e-cigarette and the changes in concentrations of IL-1 beta and IL-4 differed significantly between the two groups. Conclusion E-cigarette vaping resulted in acute alteration of both pulmonary function and airway inflammation in stable moderate asthmatic patients.