# E-Cigarette-Associated Acute Severe Asthma in a Smoking-Naïve Adolescent: A Case Report

## TL;DR

A 16-year-old girl who had never smoked developed severe asthma and a lung infection after using a nicotine e-cigarette for three days.

## Contribution

This case highlights acute severe asthma in a smoking-naïve adolescent linked to e-cigarette use.

## Key findings

- The patient developed acute severe asthma and a lower respiratory tract infection after using a nicotine e-cigarette.
- Symptoms resolved within a week with outpatient treatment using corticosteroids, beta-2 agonists, and antibiotics.
- The case underscores the health risks of e-cigarettes for adolescents who have not yet completed physical development.

## Abstract

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have become a prevalent phenomenon among adolescents and young adults, particularly as a perceived less harmful alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes. A number of potential health risks associated with e-cigarettes have been identified, including links to cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and cancer. Given that adolescents have not yet completed their physical development, they are particularly susceptible to adverse health effects associated with e-cigarettes. This case report details the presentation of a healthy 16-year-old female patient who developed her first episode of acute severe asthma and a concomitant lower respiratory tract infection in a primary care practice setting. Prior to the onset of her symptoms, the smoking-naïve patient intermittently shared a nicotine-containing e-cigarette with a friend over a three-day period. Following outpatient treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, beta-2 agonists, and antibiotics, the asthma and lower respiratory tract infection were found to be reversible within the first week of treatment initiation. It is imperative that preventive measures at the political level be implemented to counteract the appeal and use of e-cigarettes among adolescents.