Report of Newly Identified E-Cigarette–Related Lung Disease

In August and September 2019, reports of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette; “vaping”)-related lung disease have been highlighted in the lay press. The Wisconsin and Illinois Departments of Health, along with the Center for Disease Control, used the 53 initial cases to create the case definition of “severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette use.” The established criteria include use of e-cigarettes within 90 days of symptom onset, opacities on chest imaging, no evidence of infection (with negative tests for influenza and other viruses), and no evidence of plausible alternative cause.

Most patients were young men (median age, 19). All had used e-cigarettes (60% used nicotine products, and 80% used tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]). Patien…