Pulmonary Function between Heated Tobacco Users and Quitters

Abstract

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) have been promoted as safer alternatives to traditional combustible cigarettes (CCs). This study aimed to evaluate the health effects of HTP use by comparing pulmonary function test (PFT) results between current HTP users and individuals who have quit CCs. PFT measurements were collected from 226 current HTP users and 216 quitters who underwent health screening between 2021 and 2022 and completed standardized health questionnaires. Independent-samples t-test was used to analyze the forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC%, forced expiratory volume (FEV), FEV%, peak expiratory flow (PEF), PEF%, and FVC values. Among these parameters, only FEV and FVC showed statistically significant differences, with lower values observed in current HTP users than past users. These findings suggest that HTP users are at an increased risk of developing obstructive lung patterns.