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Riccardo Polosa,1–3,* Jaymin Bhagwanji Morjaria,4,5,* Umberto Prosperini,6 Cristina Russo,7 Alfio Pennisi,8 Rosario Puleo,1–3 Massimo Caruso,1,2 Pasquale Caponnetto1,2 1Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 2Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Tobacco Addiction (CPCT), Teaching Hospital “Policlinico – V. Emanuele”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 3Institute of Internal and Emergency Medicine, Teaching Hospital “Policlinico – V. emanuele”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 4Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital Foundation Trust, Harefield Hospital, Harefield, UK; 5Imperial College, Harefield, UK; 6Hospital “San Vincenzo”, Taormina, Italy; 7Emergency Department, Hospital “Arnas Garibaldi”, Catania, Italy; 8Department of Respiratory Medicine, Private clinics “Musumeci-Gecas”, Catania, Italy *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Health effects of electronic cigarette (EC) use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are largely unexplored.Aim: We present findings from a long-term prospective assessment of respiratory parameters in a cohort of COPD patients who ceased or substantially reduced conventional cigarette use with ECs.Methods: We prospectively re-evaluated COPD exacerbations, spirometric indices, subjective assessments (using the COPD Assessment Tool [CAT] scores), physical activity (measured by the 6-minute walk distance [6MWD]), and conventional cigarette use in EC users with COPD who were retrospectively assessed previously. Baseline measurements prior to switching to EC use were compared to follow-up visits at 12, 24, and 36 months. Age- and sex-matched regularly smoking COPD patients who were not using ECs were included as reference (control) group.Results: Com

JB Morjaria,1,2 E Mondati,3,4 R Polosa3–5 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Foundation Trust, Harefield Hospital, Harefield, 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK; 3Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 4Department of Internal and Emergency Medicine, 5Centro per la Prevenzione e Cura del Tabagismo (CPCT), “Policlinico-V. Emanuele,” University of Catania, Catania, Italy Abstract: Conventional cigarette smoking is known to result in significant COPD morbidity and mortality. Strategies to reduce and/or stop smoking in this highly vulnerable patient group are key public health priorities to reduce COPD morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, smoking cessation efforts in patients with COPD are poor and there is a compelling need for more efficient approaches to cessation for patients with COPD. Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are devices that use batteries to vaporize nicotine. They may facilitate quit attempts and cessation in many smokers. Although they are not risk free, ECs are much less harmful than tobacco smoking. Hence, the use of ECs in vulnerable groups and in patients with challenges to abstain or multiple relapses to this habit may be promising. To date, little is known about health consequences of EC use among COPD smokers and whether their regular use has any effects on subjective and objective COPD outcomes. In the current review, we discuss the current perspectives and literature on the role of ECs in abstaining from conventional smoking and the effects of ECs on the respiratory tract in patients with COPD. Keywords: smoking cessation, electronic cigarette, COPD, tobacco harm reduction&nbsp

Background Little is known about the association between cigarette smoking and asthma severity. We assessed smoking as a determinant of disease severity and control in a cohort of clinic-referred allergic subjects who developed new onset asthma. Methods Allergic rhinitis subjects with no asthma (n = 371) were followed-up for 10 years and routinely examined for asthma diagnosis. In those who developed asthma (n = 152), clinical severity and levels of asthma control were determined. Among these subjects, 74 (48.7%) were current smokers, 17 (11.2%) former smokers, and 61 (40.1%) never smokers. Results When comparing current or past smokers to never smokers they had a higher risk of severe asthma in the univariate analysis, which became non-significant in the multivariate analysis. On the other hand, the categories of pack-years were significantly related to severe asthma in a dose response relationship in both the univariate and multivariate analysis: compared to 0 pack years, those who smoked 1-10 pack-years had an OR(95% CI) of 1.47(0.46-4.68), those who smoked 11-20 pack-years had an OR of 2.85(1.09-7.46) and those who smoked more than 20 pack-years had an OR of 5.59(1.44-21.67) to develop more severe asthma. Smokers with asthma were also more likely to have uncontrolled disease. A significant dose-response relationship was observed for pack-years and uncontrolled asthma. Compared to 0 pack years, those who smoked 1-10 pack-years had an OR of 5.51(1.73-17.54) and those who smoked more than 10 pack-years had an OR of 13.38(4.57-39.19) to have uncontrolled asthma. Conclusions The current findings support the hypothesis that cigarette smoking is an important predictor of asthma severity and poor asthma control.

Jaymin B Morjaria1, Riccardo Polosa21Department of IIR, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; 2Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, University of Catania, Catania, ItalyAbstract: Patients whose asthma is not adequately controlled despite treatment with a ­combination of high dose inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators pose a major clinical challenge and an important health care problem. Patients with severe refractory disease often require regular oral corticosteroid use with an increased risk of steroid-related adverse events. Alternatively, immunomodulatory and biologic therapies may be considered, but they show wide variation in efficacy across studies thus limiting their generalizability. Managing asthma that is refractory to standard treatment requires a systematic approach to evaluate ­adherence, ensure a correct diagnosis, and identify coexisting disorders and trigger factors. In future, ­phenotyping of patients with severe refractory asthma will also become an ­important element of this systematic approach, because it could be of help in guiding and tailoring ­treatments. Here, we propose a pragmatic management approach in diagnosing and treating this challenging subset of asthmatic patients.Keywords: severe asthma, corticosteroids, immunological modifiers, steroid-sparing, ­anti-TNF-a drugs, omalizumab, mepolizumab, daclizumab, bronchial thermoplasty

Background: An international expert panel convened by the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs developed a multi-criteria decision analysis model of the relative importance of different types of harm related to the use of nicotine-containing products. Method: The group defined 12 products and 14 harm criteria. Seven criteria represented harms to the user, and the other seven indicated harms to others. The group scored all the products on each criterion for their average harm worldwide using a scale with 100 defined as the most harmful product on a given criterion, and a score of zero defined as no harm. The group also assessed relative weights for all the criteria to indicate their relative importance. Findings: Weighted averages of the scores provided a single, overall score for each product. Cigarettes (overall weighted score of 100) emerged as the most harmful product, with small cigars in second place (overall weighted score of 64). After a substantial gap to the third-place product, pipes (scoring 21), all remaining products scored 15 points or less. Interpretation: Cigarettes are the nicotine product causing by far the most harm to users and others in the world today. Attempts to switch to non-combusted sources of nicotine should be encouraged as the harms from these products are much lower.