E-cigarettes may increase the risk of pneumonia
A study suggests that people who smoke electronic cigarettes may be at increased risk for pneumonia, because steam may help bacteria stick to the lining of the airways.
Regular cigarettes have been linked to an increased risk of pneumonia, but it has not been clear whether electronic cigarettes have the same effect.
For this study, researchers conducted a series of laboratory experiments to see if exposure to electronic cigarette smoke may increase levels of a molecule produced by endothelial cells called "AFR"
Pneumococcal bacteria use this molecule to help it stick to the bronchial cells.
"The bottom line is that assuming that all the negative effects of cigarette smoking is reduced to electronic cigarettes is over-optimistic," said lead researcher Jonathan Greg of Queen Mary University in London.
All major American cigarette companies produce electronic cigarettes, a battery-powered device that converts nicotine into liquids and flavors into a cloud of smoke inhaled by the user.
Even if the device does not contain liquid nicotine, the lungs are exposed to chemical flavoring substances when the liquid in the device is heated and the vapor is inhaled.
Previous research, mostly based on laboratory tests, has linked these flavors to an increase in vital signs of inflammation and tissue damage. Such cell damage can lead to lung problems including fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
Although the study is small and the results must be verified through larger human trials, the results still suggest that electronic cigarettes are not risk-free and should not necessarily be considered a safe way to reduce smoking, the researchers wrote in the European Journal of the Respiratory System.