Potential COVID-19 complications due to E-cigarette & Vaping Associated Lung Injury

Potential COVID-19 complications due to E-cigarette & Vaping Associated Lung Injury

Potential COVID-19 complications due to E-cigarette & Vaping Associated Lung Injury


Dr. Drew Marquardt

University of Windsor

FUNDER: WE-SPARK Health Institute and the Office of Research and Innovation Services, University of Windsor

GRANT DURATION: 2020-2021

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Over the past year the outbreak of lung injury due to vaping and e-cigarettes, commonly known as electronic-cigarette/vaping associated lung injury (EVALI), has made thousands ill with 78% of the victims being under the age of 35 [1] This lung injury has been attributed to a physical interaction between toxicants from the oils and the pulmonary surfactant (PS) rather than chemical modifications to the PS [2] Since EVALI predominately impacts the age group least susceptible to COVID-19. Studies have implicated vitamin E acetate as the cause of the injury. The goal of this research is to elucidate a mechanism by which vitamin E acetate causes respiratory dysfunction and how this mechanism causes complications in patients with COVID-19. Dr. Marquardt and collaborators will evaluate interactions of vitamin E acetate with PS and determine how this interaction causes EVALI.

[1] N Engl J Med 2020; 382:689-691
[2] N Engl J Med 2020; 382:697-705

COLLABORATORS

University of Windsor

  • Dr. James Gauld

NIST Centre for Neutron Research

  • Elizabeth Kelley
  • Michihiro Nagao

Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Neutron Science Directorate

  • Sai Venkatesh Pingali
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