The Effect of Electronic Cigarettes on Hand Microcirculation.

Area of Science:

• Vascular biology
• Hand surgery outcomes
• Electronic cigarette research

Background:

• Conventional cigarette smoking negatively impacts peripheral microcirculation, leading to poorer outcomes in hand surgery.
• Electronic cigarettes (eCigarettes) are increasingly used, but their effect on hand microcirculation remains unstudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of eCigarette use on peripheral microcirculation in healthy subjects.
• To compare the effects of nicotine and non-nicotine eCigarettes on hand microcirculation.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen healthy subjects (7 smokers, 8 nonsmokers) were recruited.
• Noninvasive O2C laser Doppler probe measured deep and superficial hand microcirculation.
• Subjects inhaled 0-mg and 24-mg eCigarettes, with measurements taken during and for 20 minutes post-inhalation.

Main Results:

• Smokers experienced significant reductions in superficial (up to 77%) and deep (up to 29%) hand microcirculation after using 24-mg eCigarettes.
• Inhaling 0-mg eCigarettes led to a significant increase in superficial flow (up to 70%) in smokers, with no change in deep flow.
• Nonsmokers showed no significant changes in microcirculation with either type of eCigarette.

Conclusions:

• A 24-mg nicotine eCigarette significantly impairs hand microcirculation in smokers.
• Non-nicotine eCigarettes may serve as a safer alternative for smokers, as they improved microcirculation.