Effects of Heated Tobacco Use on Blood Parameters and Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Men

BACKGROUND Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are new forms of electronic tobacco products. Limited data exist on their effects on human health. This study aimed to compare the health effects of HTPs with non-smoking controls, focusing on biomarkers like fibrinogen and adhesion molecules. MATERIAL AND METHODS This case-control study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 among healthy males in Łódź Province, Poland. The case group (n=117) included past 90-day daily heated tobacco users (regular HTPs users), and the control group (n=113) included males who had not used nicotine-containing products in the past 90 days. A series of questionnaires were completed, and a blood sample (20 milliliters) was collected. Laboratory tests included: complete blood count, adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 concentration, c-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen levels. RESULTS The mean red blood cell count was higher in controls than in cases (5.10±0.30 vs 4.99±0.34; P=0.01), but mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were higher in cases than in controls: 91.77±3.59 vs 89.83±4.97 (p<0.001) and 30.74±2.88 vs 30.33±1.73 (p=0.01). Fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in cases than in controls (267.75±82.77 vs 243.8±84.40; P=0.03). There were no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) in VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 concentrations and CRP levels between cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS Regular use of heated tobacco leads to an increase in fibrinogen levels, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.