Acute effects of electronic cigarette smoking on ventricular repolarization in adults

BackgroundElectronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is constantly increasing. However, the association between e-cigarette use and ventricular arrhythmia is unknown. Thus, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the markers of ventricular repolarization such as QT interval, corrected QT (QTc), QT dispersion (QTd), peak-to-end interval of the T wave (Tp-e), corrected Tp-e and Tp-e/QT ratios in e-cigarette users.MethodsThe study population consisted 36 e-cigarette users and 40 healthy subjects. Ventricular repolarization parameters were obtained from 12-lead resting electrocardiogram. Ventricular repolarization parameters of the groups were compared.ResultsBasal demographic and laboratory data were similar in both groups. According to the electrocardiographic parameters, the Tp-e interval, corrected Tp-e, and Tp-e/QT ratio were significantly higher in individuals using e-cigarettes than in control subjects [74.9±6.4 milliseconds (ms) vs. 80.1±4.1ms, <0.001; 82.9±7.5 ms vs. 87.8±6.3 ms, p=0.003; 0.20±0.01 vs. 0.21±0.01, p=0.002; respectively].ConclusionThis is the first study to show the disruption of ventricular repolarization properties in e-cigarette users. E-cigarette use in terms of public health leads to augmentation of transmural dispersion of repolarization, which may be potential indicator of ventricular arrhythmogenesis.