In utero exposure to electronic cigarette carriers alters craniofacial morphology

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Vaping Mice Make Tiny-Faced Pups: More VG, More Problems (For Mice)

This study on mice found that in utero exposure to e-cigarette aerosol containing propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) alters craniofacial development in their pups. The 30/70 PG/VG mixture caused a greater reduction in facial and cranial growth compared to the 50/50 PG/VG mixture and controls, contrary to the initial hypothesis. Postnatal weight was also reduced in the 30/70 PG/VG group, though still within normal range for this mouse model.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that no competing interests exist, but the funding sources (university, medical center, and research programs) have reputational interests in research related to e-cigarette safety.

Identified Weaknesses

Study on mice

This limits the generalizability of the results and any potential implications for human health.

Single time point assessment

The study only looks at one time point after birth (14 days postnatal). This limits understanding of long-term effects and the possibility of catch-up growth.

Potential fetal resorption

Possible fetal resorption may have occurred but was not measured. This would potentially decrease the sample size of exposed groups, leading to bias and underestimated effects.

Lack of mechanistic understanding

The study does not investigate the specific cellular/molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. More mechanistic studies are needed.

Rating Explanation

This study used mice, so directly extrapolating the effects to humans is problematic. While growth differences were statistically significant, their biological significance and clinical relevance are unclear. There's also a possibility of fetal resorption and a lack of longer-term follow-up to see the persistence of these developmental changes.

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