VAPORS Study
Hopkins researchers want to learn about your general well-being and long term effects of E-cigarette use on your oral, lung, and heart health.
Determine your eligibility
Learn More About Vaping
- PubMed: Smoke and Vapor: Exploring the Terminology Landscape among Electronic Cigarette Users
- PubMed: The Impact of Flavoring on the Rewarding and Reinforcing Value of E-cigarettes with Nicotine Among Young Adult Smokers
- Environmental Health Perspectives: Vaping and Health: What Do We Know about E-Cigarettes?
- FDA: Vaporizers, E-Cigarettes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
Contact
Michael Patatanian | mpatata1@jhu.edu
Research Program Coordinator – VAPORS Study
(240) 486-6618
615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E7214, Baltimore, MD 21205
VAPORS@jhu.edu
Principal Investigator:
Shyam Biswal, PhD
Co-Investigators:
There has been rapid increase in use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) among young adults, in part due to targeted advertising and the perception that ECs are safe.
EC advertising has targeted two different demographics: current cigarette smokers who wish to quit using tobacco cigarettes and younger individuals who may be drawn to the wide array of EC flavors sold and the glamorous portrayal of the product. The goal of this study is to determine health effects associated with chronic use of ECs in young adults.
There are abundant data on the adverse effects of cigarette smoke on oral, pulmonary and cardiovascular health. However, this information is virtually non-existent for EC users due to lack of long term follow-up of EC users. In 2016, the FDA extended their regulatory authority to include ECs. Hence, it is critical to determine what risks ECs may pose in vulnerable populations, such as young adults, so appropriate, evidence-based regulations can be enacted. Our study is designed to evaluate the effects of chronic EC use on measures of oral, pulmonary, and cardiac health in young adults.
Primary Aim: To determine if there is an alteration in oral microbiome in young adult EC users as compared to non-users and over time.
Secondary Aim: Determine differences between chronic EC users and non-users overtime for the following: (1) markers of oral immune response, (2) markers of oral DNA damage, (3) alteration in gene expression in buccal cells of the oral cavity, (4) lung function, (5) indicators of physical activity, and (6) metal concentration and markers of oxidative stress in urine.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18 to 34 years
- E-cigarette user or non-user
- Former or never smoker
- Have a smartphone for personal use that is compatible with VAPORS App
- Able to speak and read English
- No evidence of oral abscess, periodontal disease, or multiple dental cavities
- Have not had a professional dental cleaning in the last 3 months
- Not planning to leave area within the next 2 years