Acute Impact of Tobacco vs Electronic Cigarette Smoking on Oxidative Stress and Vascular Function Q&A with Dr. Carnevale

September 20, 2016

1. How do you think the results will impact the electronic cigarette smoking community?

We believe that our results raise some concerns regarding the impact of electronic cigarettes on vascular function, which warrant further investigation in long-term studies. Overall, based on our current data, we think that electronic cigarettes could be a surrogate for smokers to quit tobacco smoking. On the other hand, the observed acute effects of electronic cigarette on vascular function should discourage nonsmokers, particularly the young ones, to approach their use.

2. What are the next steps for this study?

After the evaluation of the effects of acute smoking, we would like to investigate the chronic effects of electronic cigarette on endothelial function and oxidative stress.  In addition, we would like to test the impact of different concentrations of nicotine contained in the cartridge on vascular function.

3. What are some of the factors that could enhance the study further?

First of all, I think that greater attention of funding agencies on this research field would further enhance the possibility to set up clinical studies investigating the cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes. In particular, multicentre randomized clinical trials testing the impact of electronic cigarette smoking on cardiovascular outcomes would provide a major step forward in the field. 

Prof. Carnevale Roberto is an Assistant Professor at Sapienza University of Rome. His research interests include cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction, specifically studying the mechanisms by which platelets contribute to the progression of atherosclerotic plaque and the role of oxidative stress in platelet activation.