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Analysing the Potential Harm in Smokers Switching to Vaping, Dual Use or Abstinence

The study compares biomarkers of potential harm between people switching from smoking to vaping, continuing to smoke, using both cigarettes and vapes (dual use) and those who abstain completely.

Diane Caruana

November 30, 2022

Titled, “Biomarkers of potential harm in people switching from smoking tobacco to exclusive e-cigarette use, dual use or abstinence: secondary analysis of Cochrane systematic review of trials of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation,” the study is a secondary analysis of Cochrane systematic review of trials of vapes for smoking cessation in Greece, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States, and concluded that switching from smoking to vaping significantly reduced levels of biomarkers of potential harm.

Dual users may suffer the same oxidative stress as smokers

Participants who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes had levels of all inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers comparable to those who smoked exclusively.

Meanwhile, according to another recent study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, using traditional cigarettes alongside e-cigarettes, is as harmful to one’s heart as smoking alone.

The study titled, “Association of Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette Use Patterns With Levels of Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Among US Adults: Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study,” analysed the association between smoking, vaping and heart health, in over 7,100 U.S. adults 18 and above.

Using data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, the researchers looked for biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, as these are known to be indicative of heart disease and predictors of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and heart failures.

Analyzing five biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, the participants were divided into 4 groups: Exclusive smokers, exclusive vapers, dual users and users of none. The researchers listed the following findings:

Participants who vaped exclusively showed a similar inflammatory and oxidative stress profile as people who did not smoke or vape.
Participants who smoked exclusively and those who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes had higher levels across all biomarkers assessed compared to participants who did not use cigarettes or e-cigarettes.
Compared to participants who smoked exclusively, those who vaped exclusively had significantly lower levels of almost all inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers.
However, participants who used cigarettes and e-cigarettes had levels of all inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers comparable to those who smoked exclusively.