Discussion
Cases of EVALI continue to be reported to CDC as part of this national outbreak. Similar to previous reports at the national and state levels,[1–4] most patients reported use of THC-containing products in the 3 months before symptom onset. Patients were predominantly aged <35 years, non-Hispanic white, and male. Patients with EVALI who died were older than patients who survived. Illnesses and deaths occurred across an age spectrum, from adolescents to older adults. Approximately half of cases, and two deaths, occurred in patients aged <25 years. Older adults were disproportionately represented among patients who died; only 2% of cases, but nearly 25% of deaths, occurred in patients aged >65 years. Further, any use of THC-containing products was reported for 86% of patients who survived and 84% of patients who died; exclusive use of THC-containing products was reported for 63% of EVALI patients who died and for 33% who survived.
Findings from this report, which is the largest analysis of EVALI patients to date, suggest that this outbreak continues to primarily affect young persons, highlighting the need to communicate the dangers of e-cigarette, or vaping, use particularly among youths and young adults. Although 2% of all EVALI patients were aged 65–75 years, 24% of deaths were in this age group; relevant tailored and targeted messaging might also be needed for this age group. Consistent with previously published reports,[1–4] the data presented here suggest that THC-containing products are playing an important role in this outbreak. Further, reports from Illinois, Utah, and Wisconsin suggest that patients have typically obtained their THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products through informal sources, such as friends or illicit in-person and online dealers, although local and regional differences in illicit THC supply and production might exist.[3,4]
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, data on substances used in e-cigarette, or vaping, products were self-reported or reported by proxies and might be subject to recall bias, as well as social desirability bias because nonmedical marijuana is illegal in many states. Therefore, underreporting might have occurred, particularly for patients who died and others whose information was provided by a proxy. Second, data on some variables, such as race/ethnicity, were missing for many patients, and conclusions based on these data might not be generalizable to the entire patient population. Finally, these data might be subject to misclassification of substance use for multiple reasons. Patients likely did not know the content of the e-cigarette, or vaping, products they used, and methods used to collect substance use data varied across states.
To date, no single compound or ingredient has emerged as the cause of EVALI, and there might be more than one cause. Because most patients report using THC-containing products before the onset of symptoms, CDC recommends that persons should not use e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain THC. Persons should not buy any type of e-cigarette, or vaping, products, particularly those containing THC, off the street and should not modify or add any substances to e-cigarette, or vaping, products that are not intended by the manufacturer, including products purchased through retail establishments. In addition, because the specific compound or ingredient causing lung injury is not yet known, and while the investigation continues, persons should consider refraining from use of all e-cigarette, or vaping, products. E-cigarette, or vaping, products should never be used by youths, young adults, or women who are pregnant. Moreover, persons who do not currently use tobacco products should not start using e-cigarette, or vaping, products.[2,5]
Acknowledgments
Sarah Khalidi, Sondra Reese, Alabama Department of Public Health; Appathurai Balamurugan, Allison James, Arkansas Department of Health; Monique Adakai, Emily Carlson, Arizona Department of Health Services; Armando Chevez, Daniel U. Kwon, California Department of Public Health; Elyse Contreras, Katelyn E. Hall, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Sydney Jones, Connecticut Department of Public Health; Adrienne Sherman, Kenan Zamore, District of Columbia Department of Health; Amanda Bundek, Caroline Judd, Division of Public Health, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services; Heather Rubino, Thomas Troelstrup, Florida Department of Health; Georgia Department of Public Health Lung Injury Response Team; Hawaii Department of Health; Chris Galeazzi, Ben Williamson, Iowa Department of Public Health; Eileen M. Dunne, Kathryn A. Turner, Idaho Division of Public Health; Dawn Nims, Lori Saathoff-Huber, Illinois Department of Public Health; Kathryn Gaub, Sara Hallyburton, Indiana State Department of Health; Amie Cook, Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Kentucky Department for Public Health; Julie Hand, Theresa Sokol, Louisiana Department of Health; Daniel Church, MaryKate Martelon, Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Kenneth A. Feder, Clifford S. Mitchell, Maryland Department of Health; Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Rita Seith, Eden V. Wells, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Stacy Holzbauer, Terra Wiens, Minnesota Department of Health; Valerie Howard, George Turabelidze, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services; Paul Byers, Kathryn Taylor, Mississippi State Department of Health; Kim Bailey, RiverStone Health; William Gavin, Gallatin City-County Health Department; Ariel Christensen, Molly N. Hoffman, North Carolina Division of Public Health; Clint Boots, Tracy Miller, Kodi Pinks, North Dakota Department of Health; Matthew Donahue, Tom Safranek, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services; Suzann Beauregard, Pascal Kalin, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services; Lisa McHugh, Stephen Perez, New Jersey Department of Health; Alex Gallegos, Joseph T. Hicks, New Mexico Department of Health; Ashleigh Faulstich, Victoria LeGarde, Melissa Peek-Bullock, Nevada Department of Health and Human Services; Adam Helman, Kristen Navarette, New York State Department of Health; Courtney Dewart, Kirtana Ramadugu, Ohio Department of Health; Claire B. Nguyen, Tracey Wendling, Oklahoma State Department of Health; Amanda Faulkner, Tasha Poissant, Oregon Health Authority; Joann F. Gruber, Laurel Harduar Morano, Pennsylvania Department of Health; Ailis Clyne, Morgan Orr, James Rajotte, Rhode Island Department of Health; Sharon Biggers, Virginie Daguise, Daniel Kilpatrick, South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control; Joshua L. Clayton, Jonathan Steinberg, South Dakota Department of Health; Julie Shaffner, Kelly Squires, Tennessee Department of Health; Emily Hall, Varun Shetty, Texas Department of State Health Services; Esther M. Ellis, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health; Nathaniel Lewis, Utah Department of Health; Jonathan Falk, Lilian Peake, Virginia Department of Health; Vermont Department of Health; Michelle Holshue, Cathy Wasserman, Washington State Department of Health; Staff members, Wisconsin Department of Health Services; Shannon McBee, Christy Reed, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources; and Melissa Taylor, Wyoming Department of Health.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2019;68(43):985-989. © 2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Comments