Nicotine vaping linked to reduced vascular function, cardiorespiratory fitness

In young adults who have never smoked combustible tobacco, daily use of nicotine vape appears to have a negative effect on vascular function and cardiorespiratory fitness, according to a cross-sectional study.

The study 58 young adults (mean age 26 years, 52 percent female) without known cardiovascular disease or major risk factors. These participants were grouped according to their smoking status, which was self-reported and verified, as follows: those who exclusively used nicotine vapes (vape group), those who used combustible cigarettes (cigarette group), and those who were tobacco- and nicotine vape-naïve (control group).

Primary outcomes were vascular function (assessed using flow-mediated dilation [FMD] and carotid artery reactivity [CAR]) and cardiorespiratory fitness (evaluated using ventilatory, metabolic, and cardiac responses during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing). Secondary outcomes included spirometry results and physical activity.

Of the participants, 17 exclusively used nicotine vapes, 19 used combustible cigarettes, and 22 were tobacco- and nicotine vape-naïve. Lung function and physical activity levels did not significantly differ across the three groups.

Compared with those who in the control group, participants in the vape group had lower FMD (mean, 5.5 percent vs 8.3 percent) and CAR (mean, 0.6 percent vs 4.7 percent). The same was true for the cigarette group (mean FMD, 4.4 percent; mean CAR, −1.4 percent).

Moreover, peak oxygen uptake was lower in participants in the vape group vs those in the control group but did not significantly differ between the cigarette group and the control group. Minute ventilation and cardiac output were lower in both the vape and cigarette groups vs the control group.

More research is needed to determine long-term clinical implications of the findings, according to researchers.