Citation

Vardavas CI, Girvalaki C, Odani S, Nikitara K, de Vries I, van Riel A, van Sommeren-de Potter I, Grass JN, Grassi MC, Deim S, Balázs A, Fosztó S, Schiel H, Arif T, Eronen AK, Alonso AA, Menor JLC, Arrieta RM, Babić, Turk R, Vardavas AI, Tsatsakis A. Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0960327120975828

PMID

33272061

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Following the implementation of the European Union Tobacco Product Directive (EU TPD) regulations on e-cigarette products in 2016, we assessed the current profile of e-cigarette liquid exposure incidents and their associated health outcomes.

METHODS: De-identified data were received from poison centers in eight EU Member States (Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary Austria, Finland, Spain and Croatia) reporting on e-cigarette liquid exposure incidents between August 2018 to December 2019. Descriptive analysis was conducted to present incident characteristics and health outcomes. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to test associations.

RESULTS: Of the 223 e-liquid exposure incidents recorded by poison centers in multiple EU MS, 64.7% of the cases were unintentional exposures, ranging from 48.4% among adults aged ≥19 years to 100.0% among children aged 0-5 years (p < 0.05). The most frequent route of exposure was ingestion (73.5%) while55.2% experienced any clinical symptoms, including nausea (16.6%), vomiting (11.1%), and dizziness (9.0%). 57.8% of the cases were treated at the residence or on-site.

CONCLUSION: Further monitoring is warranted, using uniform reporting requirements, to ensure the continued compliance to the EU TPD and assess its long-term impact on related incident characteristics.

Language: en

Keywords

Poisoning; Europe; e-cigarettes; e-liquid; poison centers