E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) and Other Known Consequences of E-Cigarette Use – A Literature Review
Abstract
Introduction and Purpose: E-cigarettes, introduced to the market at the beginning of the 21st century, have become a popular alternative to traditional cigarettes, though their long-term health effects remain unknown. In 2019, the United States recorded a sudden surge in cases of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) - a severe lung disease linked to the use of these products. The aim of the study is to review the current knowledge on E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), with particular emphasis on pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. State of knowledge: EVALI is primarily associated with the inhalation of vitamin E acetate (VEA), used as a thickener in illegal THC liquids. Pathogenetic mechanisms include toxicity from thermal degradation products of VEA leading to destabilization of pulmonary surfactant. The disease manifests with a broad spectrum of symptoms: dyspnea (85–100%), cough (60–85%), fever (57–84%), and gastrointestinal complaints (nausea, vomiting). Diagnosis requires the exclusion of infections (including COVID-19) and is based on CDC criteria, encompassing changes in lung imaging studies and a history indicating e-cigarette use. Conclusions: EVALI remains a public health challenge, particularly among young adults. Despite progress in identifying VEA as a key risk factor, many questions remain unanswered – including the role of other liquid components (e.g.,…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tobacco and COPD: presenting the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summary
- Comparative effects of e-cigarette smoking on periodontal status, salivary pH, and cotinine levels
- Association between exposure to environmental pollutants and increased oral health risks, a comprehensive review
- Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes
- Natural products as kinase inhibitors in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and clinical trials
- Nicotine in electronic cigarettes
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.