Impact of E-cigarette Use on the Body

The Emerging Adulthood Health Project

This study examines how electronic (e)-cigarette use impacts the body, by studying both users and non-users of e-cigarettes. Early evidence indicates that e-cig users experience adverse health effects. Results of this study may help policy-makers develop standards for different types of tobacco.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Cigarette Smoking-Related Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Other: Survey Administration; Procedure: Nitric Oxide Breath Test; Procedure: Oscillometry; Procedure: Spirometry; Procedure: Endothelial function

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

Examine the short-term impacts of vaping on pulmonary and respiratory outcomes.

OUTLINE:

Current e-cigarette users will vape their own e-cigarette device ad libitum for 30 minutes; non-users will watch a neutral video for 30 minutes. Before and after the 30 minute vaping [video] session, participants will undergo the following assessments: computer-based spirometry testing, nitric oxide breath testing, airwave oscillometry, and an assessment of endothelial function. Participants will also undergo collection of blood.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 182

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
      • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 15 years to 25 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

E-cig (cigarette) users and non-users in Ohio

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 75 e-cig users and 75 never-users
• No self-reported diagnosis of lung disease (e.g., coronavirus disease-2019 [COVID-19], pneumonia, cystic fibrosis)
• No history of cardiac event or distress
• Not currently breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant (e-cig users only; will be confirmed via pregnancy test)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Prevention (survey, breathe tests, biospecimen collection); Participants undergo computer-based spirometry testing, nitric oxide breath testing, airwave oscillometry, and an assessment of endothelial function. Participants will undergo collection of blood. Current e-cigarette users also vape their own e-cigarette device for 30 minutes.

Procedure: Biospecimen Collection; Undergo collection of blood; Other: Survey Administration; Complete survey; Procedure: Nitric Oxide Breath Test; Undergo nitric oxide breath testing; Procedure: Oscillometry; Undergo airwave oscillometry; Procedure: Spirometry; Undergo spirometry; Procedure: Endothelial function; Endothelial function will be assessed with the EndoPAT device, which measures changes in pressure from sensors placed on the fingertip

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Airway inflammation as assessed by exhaled nitric oxide	Exhaled nitric oxide will be measured in parts per billion (ppb)	Procedure will last approximately 3 minutes; the procedure will occur twice during the laboratory session (separated by approximately 60 minutes)
Airway reactivity as assessed by airwave oscillometry	Airway reactivity will be measured via Tremoflo, which is a well validated measurement of airway reactivity and provides curves of Resistance (R) and Reactance (X)	Procedure will last approximately 3 minutes; the procedure will occur twice during the laboratory session (separated by approximately 60 minutes)
Respiratory functioning as assessed by a mobile Spirometry device	Spirometry will collect daily data from participants on the relationship between their forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity (measured as FEV1/FVC).	Procedure will last approximately 3 minutes; the procedure will occur twice during the laboratory session (separated by approximately 60 minutes)
Endothelial function	Endothelial function will be assessed with the EndoPAT device (unit of measurement = LnRHI).	Procedure will last approximately 20 minutes; the procedure will occur twice during the laboratory session (separated by approximately 90 minutes)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Megan E Roberts, PhD, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• The Jamesline

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 22, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 29, 2022
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 29, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 19, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): July 22, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Investigative Techniques; Oscillometry
• Other Study ID Numbers: OSU-20320; NCI-2021-06438 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No