Potential negative impact of electronic cigarettes on lung health

Researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute, Western University's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, have recently published a pre-clinical study that suggests electronic cigarettes could have negative impacts on lung surfactant in the lungs.

The surfactant made up of lipids and proteins is a crucial layer in the lungs that reduces surface tension, making breathing effortless. Without surfactant, breathing requires more effort and mechanical assistance may be necessary.

Professor Schulze, who specializes in medicine and dentistry, noted that electronic cigarettes continue to be popular, but there is little awareness about the potential effects of aerosols entering the lungs. Schulze's team has been studying the impact of inhaled vapor aerosols on lung surfactants, an area of research they specialize in.

The research team was able to study the effects by placing a thin film of surfactant in a syringe and pushing the aerosol into it using an electronic cigarette device. This allowed vapor to directly interact with the surfactant. The researchers then simulated inhaling and exhaling vapor into the syringe 30 times, similar to a standard e-cigarette session.

Emma Graham, a member of the research team, explained that "we specifically studied the surface tension of surfactants. Observing high surface tension indicates that surfactants may not be as effective in supporting normal lung function.

The team also examined various electronic cigarette devices, flavorings, additives, and nicotine to see if there were any differences in their effects.

Graham stated that compared to other e-liquids, nicotine does not have a worse impact on the surface tension of surfactants, but certain flavorings such as menthol e-liquid do have an effect.

Although his team plans to further investigate this point, Veldhuizen states that these findings can explain why people who use e-cigarettes are more susceptible to lung damage, including those who are infected with respiratory viruses such as COVID-19.

Veldhuizen stated that they hope to obtain this information so that people are aware of the potential harm to the lungs caused by electronic cigarettes. As the next step, they plan to conduct further research into the effects of electronic cigarettes on the lungs and how to treat injuries resulting from their use.

The study has been published in the PLOS ONE journal. These findings are based on a series of studies conducted by the Lawson Health Research Institute, the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University on the effects of e-cigarettes. This is the world's first report on potential new e-cigarette-related injuries in 2019.