User-Perceived Negative Respiratory Symptoms Associated with Electronic Cigarette Use

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Health
• Toxicology
• Public Health

Background:

• Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) deliver aerosol containing chemicals, potentially impacting respiratory health.
• Limited research has comprehensively examined the range of respiratory symptoms associated with e-cigarette use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and categorize the negative respiratory symptoms reported by adult e-cigarette users.
• To identify common and unique respiratory symptoms linked to e-cigarette use.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 49 adult e-cigarette users reporting respiratory symptoms.
• Participants brainstormed, sorted, and rated symptoms related to their e-cigarette use.
• Multidimensional scaling analysis identified thematic clusters of symptoms.

Main Results:

• Eight distinct clusters of respiratory symptoms were identified: Mucus and Congestion, Fatigue, Throat Symptoms, Breathing Problems, Mouth Symptoms, Chest Symptoms, Illness Symptoms, and Nose and Sinus Symptoms.
• Commonly reported symptoms included dry throat/mouth, fatigue with activity, coughing, shortness of breath, excessive phlegm, and bad taste.
• Dual users (e-cigarette and current cigarette smokers) reported higher symptom severity in several clusters compared to non-current smokers.

Conclusions:

• E-cigarette users perceive a range of respiratory symptoms associated with their use, many mirroring those of traditional cigarette smoking.
• Further research is warranted to determine if these reported symptoms correlate with other adverse health outcomes.