Growing Understanding of EVALI

Incidence of electronic cigarette, or vaping, product use–associated lung injury appears to be slowing.

Cases of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), or vaping, product use–associated lung injury (EVALI) continue be reported across the U.S., with 52 deaths as of mid-December 2019. The etiology of EVALI remains unclear; early data suggest a relation to vitamin E acetate used in illicit vaping preparations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products. Two new papers give us additional information.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) obtained bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from 51 patients with EVALI (by CDC case-definition criteria). These samples were compared with 99 BAL specimens from healthy volunteers, some of whom used e-cigarettes. More than 90% of the BAL samples of patients with EVALI tested positive for vitamin E acetate;…

Reviewing Author

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Growing Understanding of EVALI

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Reviewing Author