Short-term effects of electronic cigarette smoking on cardiorespiratory parameters, volatile organic compounds and inflammatory markers

Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have gained popularity in recent years. While initially introduced as a safe alternative for tobacco and a bridge for smoking cessation, subsequent studies found that they contain toxic substances. We aimed to assess the acute effect of a single session of e-cigarette smoking on cardiorespiratory parameters, exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and markers of inflammation. Methods A prospective single-centre study was carried out. Participants (healthy volunteers, former e-cigarette users) were assessed before and after a 30-min session of e-cigarette smoking. Evaluations included vital signs, pulmonary functions – spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) – blood and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) cytokines and electronic nose (e-nose) for analysis of exhaled VOCs profile. Results 30 participants aged 27.9±4.4 years were enrolled in the study. Post-smoking observations revealed a significant increase in heart rate (77.5±10.9 to 85.5±12.1 beats·min⁻¹, p=0.002), respiratory rate (15.4±2.2 to 17.1±1.8 breaths·min⁻¹, p=0.002) and blood pressure (systolic 118±8.1 to 123.5±11.9, p=0.017; diastolic 73.9±8.4 to 78.5±6.3 mmHg, p=0.011). FeNO decreased significantly (median of 11 (7.5–15.5) to 9.7 (7.3–17.3) ppb, p=0.024). Analysis of e-nose found a significant change of exhaled VOC pattern after e-cigarette smoking. No significant changes were found in spirometry and cytokine levels in blood or EBC. Conclusions A single session of 30 min of e-cigarette smoking caused significant cardiorespiratory effects, decreased FeNO and altered exhaled VOC pattern, similar to the effect seen with cigarette and water-pipe smoking. The observed acute effects, together with the well-known chronic risks, highlight the importance of effective regulation of e-cigarettes.