E-cigarettes may not pose fewer health risks than cigarettes

Investigators may have uncovered a potential heightened risk of negative disease outcomes among patients who use e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes (“dual use”) compared with those who use cigarettes, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine Evidence.

Although e-cigarettes are often touted as less harmful than cigarettes, there have been few studies comparing the health effects of using e-cigarettes, cigarettes, or both.

In the random-effects pooled analysis, the investigators identified 107 studies in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and PsychINFO published through Oct. 1, 2023, that reported on disease outcomes among patients who used e-cigarettes, used cigarettes or had dual use of the products.

The investigators found that the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and metabolic dysfunction were similar between the patients who used e-cigarettes and those who used cigarettes. Although the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and oral disease were lower among those who used e-cigarettes alone, compared with regular cigarettes, the odds of disease were still considered “substantial.” Further, all disease outcomes were poorer among the patients who had dual use compared with those who used cigarettes alone.

The investigators concluded that more studies are needed to better understand the harms of e-cigarettes in comparison to cigarettes and dual use.

Read more: The New England Journal of Medicine Evidence

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