Exclusive E-Cigarette Use Linked to COPD and Hypertension in Adults, finds study

Key Findings

Exclusive E-Cigarette Use (EE) Outcomes:

• EE was strongly related to COPD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-3.71).

• In subjects between the ages of 30-70 years, EE was strongly correlated with hypertension (aHR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09-1.77).

• No substantial correlations were noted between EE and hypertension in the overall population (aHR 1.01, 95% CI 0.83-1.23), T2DM (aHR 0.88, 95% CI 0.66-1.16), ASCVD (aHR 1.05, 95% CI 0.59-1.86), or HF (aHR 0.82, 95% CI 0.47-1.41).

Exclusive Combustible Cigarette Use (ECC) and Dual Use (DU) Outcomes:

• ECC and DU were strongly correlated with all examined cardiometabolic disorders.

• DU had increased point estimates for the majority of outcomes, with a very high association with ASCVD (aHR 2.18, 95% CI 1.82-2.62), suggesting possibly increased risk in dual users.

The research offers strong evidence of a relationship between exclusive e-cigarette use and heightened risk of COPD and hypertension in adults aged 30-70 years. Dual use of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes was also highly correlated with all cardiometabolic conditions examined, with a particularly high risk for ASCVD. These results underscore the need for well-informed public health warnings and strict regulation to counteract the possible harms of e-cigarette use.

Reference:

John Erhabor, Zhiqi Yao, Erfan Tasdighi, Emelia J Benjamin, Aruni Bhatnagar, Michael J Blaha, E-cigarette Use and Incident Cardiometabolic Conditions in the All of Us Research Program, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2025;, ntaf067, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf067