Vaping and Pulmonary Fibrosis

[Jorunkun]

Has anyone here heard of cases of pulmonary fibrosis linked to vaping, or know of studies that look at possible interrelationships?

Pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal, incurable lung disease in which the lung tissue hardens and ceases to transfer oxygen into the blood. It is assumed to be a kind of autoimmune reaction, triggered by inhaled particles (such as coal dust, metal dust, asbestos but also pesticides and detergents). It is a rare condition, but former smokers frequently exposed to the kinds of particles have an elevated risk of contracting it.

I am asking as a precaution only, because my father (ex-smoker but not a vaper) died of pulmonary fibrosis. any information would be welcome.

 

[zoiDman]

Not that I know of.

 

[Iffy]

Please go to the CASAA site and do a bit of research.

As for me, five years ago I was diagnosed with early emphysema. A couple of months ago I had a followup series of x-rays after over two years of vaping. Latest results? Normal lungs for a man of my age (66+).

So...? Well, I ain't going back to smokin' and will continue to promote vaping!

Good luck in your quest for pertinent data!

 

[Ref Minor]

Off the top of my head, vapor (a liquid) contains far less particulates than smoke (a solid), neither will be as good for you as fresh clean mountain air but for most of us the choice is between vaping and smoking.

 

[Jorunkun]

Ref, I am in the same boat and started vaping for exactly that reason. This is not an attempt to drum up yet another scare story about vaping (there are too many of those already).

I am merely asking if antbody has any anecdotal or scientific data on co-incidence of vaping with this disease. Which may have a genetic / inheritable component, so my interest is more personal than academic, if you know what I mean.

 

[Danbrooks2k]

As a paramedic I can tell you I have not ever heard of any link between the two. PG is used as a carrier for some breathing treatments for acute respiratory attacks. Nebulized saline is used to help children with breathing problems in the field when we feel Albuterol would be too strong of a drug. On long term patients with chronic breathing conditions saline is attached to the oxygen machine/tank to keep the nasal passages from drying up... in all of these cases oxygen is delivered to the lungs ( im not a doctor, but can assure you this is a good thing ).

When you smoke cigarettes you are burning a solid, removing oxygen and replacing it with heated, dry, carbon dioxide and hundreds if not thousands of carcinogens that are known to have serious side effects. The end result will eventually be asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease just to name a few. I have seen the long terms effect of smoking... very very bad...

I have never seen anyone start smoking and have better health in a few months. I know first hand that after 6 months of vaping my health has improved in many ways. This is very very good...

Anyone who quits smoking and starts vaping has made a good choice...

Per Wikipedia...

Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".

Inhalation of environmental and occupational pollutants,[1] such as in asbestosis,[2] silicosis[2] and exposure to certain gases.[2] Coal miners, ship workers and sand blasters among others are at higher risk.[3] Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, most often resulting from inhaling dust contaminated with bacterial, fungal, or animal products.[2]

Cigarette smoking[1] can increase the risk or make the illness worse.[3]
Some typical connective tissue diseases[3] such as rheumatoid arthritis,[1][2] SLE[1][2] and scleroderma[1]
Other diseases that involve connective tissue, such as sarcoidosis[1][2] and Wegener's granulomatosis.[2]
Infections[2]
Certain medications, e.g. amiodarone, bleomycin (pingyangmycin), busulfan, methotrexate, and [1][3] nitrofurantoin[4]
Radiation therapy to the chest[1][2]

The gas you inhale when you vape is known as oxygen. There is added vg or pg, flavoring and nicotine. I don't see it causing a disease, I have only seen it benefit people. Just my 2 cents!

 

[Impulso]

Now this is great info!! I was never a huge smoker and have always been active so from a health perspective i feel no different. However, i'm sure my body can feel the difference and long term, i'll be better off. I do find that i am not prone to becoming down with whatever my kids bring back every other day, so obviously something is better(i know its not a scientific double blinded study with a p value of 0.0000000001), but i used to become sick at the sight of a sick kid...

As a paramedic I can tell you I have not ever heard of any link between the two. PG is used as a carrier for some breathing treatments for acute respiratory attacks. Nebulized saline is used to help children with breathing problems in the field when we feel Albuterol would be too strong of a drug. On long term patients with chronic breathing conditions saline is attached to the oxygen machine/tank to keep the nasal passages from drying up... in all of these cases oxygen is delivered to the lungs ( im not a doctor, but can assure you this is a good thing ).

When you smoke cigarettes you are burning a solid, removing oxygen and replacing it with heated, dry, carbon dioxide and hundreds if not thousands of carcinogens that are known to have serious side effects. The end result will eventually be asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease just to name a few. I have seen the long terms effect of smoking... very very bad...

I have never seen anyone start smoking and have better health in a few months. I know first hand that after 6 months of vaping my health has improved in many ways. This is very very good...

Anyone who quits smoking and starts vaping has made a good choice...

Per Wikipedia...

Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".

Inhalation of environmental and occupational pollutants,[1] such as in asbestosis,[2] silicosis[2] and exposure to certain gases.[2] Coal miners, ship workers and sand blasters among others are at higher risk.[3] Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, most often resulting from inhaling dust contaminated with bacterial, fungal, or animal products.[2]

Cigarette smoking[1] can increase the risk or make the illness worse.[3]
Some typical connective tissue diseases[3] such as rheumatoid arthritis,[1][2] SLE[1][2] and scleroderma[1]
Other diseases that involve connective tissue, such as sarcoidosis[1][2] and Wegener's granulomatosis.[2]
Infections[2]
Certain medications, e.g. amiodarone, bleomycin (pingyangmycin), busulfan, methotrexate, and [1][3] nitrofurantoin[4]
Radiation therapy to the chest[1][2]

The gas you inhale when you vape is known as oxygen. There is added vg or pg, flavoring and nicotine. I don't see it causing a disease, I have only seen it benefit people. Just my 2 cents!

 

[Jorunkun]

Thanks Dan, this is exactly the kind of (professionally informed) information I was hoping for.

Let me re-state that I don't doubt for a second that vaping is vastly preferable to smoking tobacco. What interests me is not the comparison to smoking tobacco (which vaping wins hands down), but the known effects/issues of inhaling PG/VG into your lungs, especially with regards to the pulmonary fibrosis and related diseases.

 

[Myrany]

Caveat: I am not a healthcare professional.

One thing I WOULD be careful about is juices that have Diacetyl or Acetoin in them. Those are SOME (not all) things with a custard/creamy note to them.

These 2 have been linked to popcorn lung which sounds like a similar condition.

See this for an explanation of what has these
Perfumer's Apprentice

It is one reason I DIY my juices. I can be sure these are not in the flavorings I use.