Calls to poison control centers for e-cigarette exposure in children significantly increased

Calls to U.S. poison centers regarding e-cigarette exposure in children increased from 2010 to 2014 before decreasing in late 2014, while exposure calls regarding conventional cigarettes were stable, according to a study presented at the CDC’s Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference in Atlanta.

Moreover, 58% of overall e-cigarette calls to poison centers are related to exposures in young children, the researchers wrote.

In the study, the researchers evaluated exposure calls to poison centers pertaining to e-cigarettes, as well as calls involving conventional tobacco cigarettes, between September 1, 2010 and October 31, 2014. Researchers used Chi-square tests to compare the demographics and adverse health effects of the individuals exposed to e-cigarettes with those reported in the calls pertaining to conventional cigarette exposure.

They found that during the study period, poison centers reported 5,247 calls for e-cigarettes and 19,597 calls for conventional cigarettes. There was an increase in e-cigarette calls during the study period, increasing from one call in September 2010 to 401 calls in April 2014. The number of calls then decreased to 285 in October of 2014.

Calls about conventional cigarette exposure monthly were from between 302 to 514. The age groups most commonly reported in e-cigarette exposure calls were children aged 0-5 years (60%) and individuals aged older than 20 years (32%). Cigarette calls pertained mostly to children aged between 0 and 5 years (96%).

In the 13,309 calls for which outcome data was available, the e-cigarette calls reported a higher proportion of adverse health effects (51.6%) vs. the conventional cigarette calls (35.9%; P < .001) Of the 1,575 e-cigarette calls in which a health effect was reported, the most common effects were vomiting (40%) eye irritation (20%) and nausea (17%).

According to the researchers, these findings warrant improved efforts toward preventing e-cigarettes exposure and toxicities.

“Given the overall increase in e-cigarette exposure calls, developing strategies to monitor and prevent future poisonings from these novel devices is critical,” the researchers wrote.

Reference:

Chatham-Stephens K, et al. Calls to US Poison Centers Regarding Electronic Cigarettes – United States, September 2010 – October 2014. Presented at: Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference; April 20-23, 2015; Atlanta.

 Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.