Young vapers at risk of bronchitis as well as shortness of breath even if they also smoke

Young vapers are at risk of bronchitic symptoms and shortness of breath, even if they, or others around them, smoke cigarettes or cannabis, suggests research published online in the journal Thorax. The researchers tracked the respiratory health of participants in the Southern California Children’s Health Study between 2014 and 2018.

Some 2097 students completed a survey on their use of tobacco products and respiratory symptoms in 2014 (wave 1). Further survey information was collected from 1609 of them in 2015 (wave 2), from 1502 in 2017 (wave 3), and from 1637 in 2018 (wave 4).

At each survey wave, participants were asked about ever and past 30-day use of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes. Cannabis use was added to the questions at wave 3. The final analysis included 2094 young people, almost half of whom were women. At wave 1 —the only time this question was asked—476 (23%) respondents reported a lifetime history of asthma.

Current wheeze and shortness of breath varied by wave, with bronchitic symptoms the most commonly reported symptom at each wave: 19.5%, 22.5%, 23.5% and 26%, respectively.

Prevalence of past 30-day e-cigarette use was just under 12% at waves 1 and 2 and 11% (wave 3), but it increased to more than 15.5% at wave 4.

The odds of wheeze were 81% more likely among past 30-day e-cigarette users than among never users. Similarly, the odds of bronchitic symptoms were twice as likely, while those of shortness of breath were 78% more likely after accounting for survey wave, age, sex, race and parental education.

Reference: Prospective study of e-cigarette use and respiratory symptoms in adolescents and young adults, Thorax, DOI 10.1136/thorax-2022-218670