Impact of exclusive e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products use on muco-ciliary clearance.
Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2021;
12:20406223211035267. [PMID:
34422253 PMCID:
PMC8371723 DOI:
10.1177/20406223211035267]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:
Tobacco smoking impairs mucociliary clearance (MCC) efficiency as shown by
prolonged saccharin test transit time (STTT). Avoiding exposure to tobacco
smoke from combustible cigarettes may restore MCC function and former
smokers have been shown to exhibit similar STTT as never smokers. The impact
on STTT of switching from smoking to combustion-free tobacco products such
as e-cigarettes (ECs) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) is not known.
Methods:
We report STTT of exclusive EC and HTP users. Test results were compared with
those obtained in current, former, and never smokers.
Results:
STTT were obtained from 39 current, 40 former, 40 never smokers, and from 20
EC and 20 HTP users. Comparison of STTT values showed significant difference
among the five study groups (p < 0.00001) with current
smokers having a median [interquartile range (IQR)] STTT of 13.15 min, which
was significantly longer compared with that of all other study groups. In
particular, compared with former (7.26 min) and never smokers (7.24 min),
exclusive EC users and exclusive HTP users had similar STTT at 7.00 and
8.00 min, respectively.
Conclusion:
Former smokers who have switched to exclusive regular use of combustion-free
nicotine delivery systems (i.e., ECs and HTPs) exhibit similar saccharin
transit time as never and former smokers. This suggests that combustion-free
nicotine delivery technologies are unlikely to have detrimental effects on
MCC function.
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