Vape users are more likely to develop pneumonia than people who smoke regular cigarettes, according to a study.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania said the electronic devices cause “unique” damage to the lungs that is not yet fully understood.
The study is the latest evidence that vaping is not the risk-free quit method it was initially touted to be.
Other researchers have found that e-cigarettes cause heart and lung damage similar to traditional cigarettes.
Researchers found vapers have more inflammation in their lungs than regular cigarette smokers (file photo)
The radiotracer used by the researchers was able to mark foci of inflammation in the lungs within 45 seconds (red)
The researchers gave 15 people a tracer that latches onto inflammation in the lungs and makes it visible on CT scans.
The participants were vape users, traditional smokers or people who had never used either device.
The results showed significantly more inflammation in the lungs of vapers than smokers or non-smokers.
But interestingly, tobacco smokers were no more prone to inflammation than those who did not use either device.
“We find evidence of that [e-cigarette] Its use causes a unique inflammatory response in the lungs,” write the researchers in the study.
More than 2.5 million American minors use e-cigarettes, according to a study published last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts have described youth use as a crisis, with some warning that America will face a wave of lung-related health problems in the future.
“The commercial use of tobacco products continues to threaten the health of our country’s youth,” Dr. Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of the CDC’s Office on Tobacco Smoking and Health, in November.
For the Penn study, the researchers gathered five non-smokers, five people who smoke typical combustible cigarettes, and five vapers.
They are appropriate for age and gender to check for inflammation related to external factors.
E-cigarettes cause DNA damage in the lungs similar to that of regular cigarettes
Rodents who smoked e-cigarettes suffered damage to their DNA.
Each was injected with a radio tracer called 207 MBq F-18 NOS. These traces are often used to detect radioactive irregularities as they appear on CT scans.
For example, when treating cancer, a doctor might inject a tracer that binds to tumor tissue and scan a person to look for signs that the disease may soon develop.
Within 42 seconds of being injected, the tracer completely covered one person’s lungs and they could see signs of inflammation.
Researchers who published their findings last week in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine found no difference in pneumonia rates between non-smokers and cigarette users.
They found a significant increase in pneumonia in the vaping group compared to the others.
Pneumonia is not always permanent or serious. Some have been known to get pneumonia after a viral illness such as a cold.
However, in some cases, the inflammation can lead to tissue scarring, which can later lead to cancer.
This type of damage is also associated with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The true effects of e-cigarettes on the lungs are still being researched by health authorities, but early data shows that the devices can have devastating long-term effects.
A chemical found in many flavored vape products, diacetyl, has been linked to the devastating popcorn lung disease.
Known medically as bronchiolitis obliterans, it occurs when the chemical forms scar tissue in the lungs and blocks airflow.
Other studies have linked long-term vaping to airway obstruction in the lungs, which is linked to conditions such as asthma and COPD.
Another recent study found that the devices can cause DNA damage similar to cigarettes, which could lead to users developing cancer in the future.
However, the devices are still believed to be less harmful than cigarettes, as the flammable versions have been linked to many types of cancer and lung disease.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
