The VapeScan Study, An Exemplary CUIMC Collaboration

Why It Matters

The VapeScan Study provides early evidence that vaping can elevate blood pressure and alter lung structure in young adults, signaling potential long‑term health risks and informing public‑health policy and clinical screening.

Key Takeaways

• Interdisciplinary collaboration enabled comprehensive vape health study among researchers.
• Vaping linked to higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
• Unexpectedly lower arterial calcification observed among vapers in young adults.
• 41% of young participants had incidental lung findings on CT.
• E‑cigarette use associated with emphysema‑like changes and reduced FEV1.

Summary

The grand‑round presentation highlighted the VapeScan Study, a joint effort between Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the Mailman School of Public Health and multiple clinical departments, designed to assess early cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of e‑cigarette use in young adults. By leveraging expertise from epidemiology, cardiology, radiology and engineering, the team assembled a diverse cohort of 18‑ to 26‑year‑olds and applied high‑resolution imaging, blood‑pressure monitoring and advanced lung function testing.

Key findings include a clear association between vaping—especially exclusive vaping without prior smoking—and elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure, alongside an unexpected reduction in arterial calcification scores. Lung CT scans revealed incidental findings in 41% of participants, though these did not differ markedly by vaping status; however, quantitative analyses showed greater emphysema‑like lung tissue, increased small‑vessel volume and lower FEV1 ratios among vapers, markers linked to future chronic lung disease.

The speakers underscored the study’s methodological rigor, noting the challenges of accurate blood‑pressure measurement and the need for professional photography to capture aerosol‑laden images for publication. Anecdotes about a 2015 vape expo and the initial failure to publish low‑quality photos illustrated the importance of on‑the‑ground public‑health engagement and interdisciplinary problem‑solving.

These results suggest that vaping may exert subtle yet clinically relevant cardiovascular and pulmonary effects in a population traditionally considered low‑risk. The findings prompt urgent calls for larger longitudinal studies, refined regulatory guidelines, and targeted screening strategies for young e‑cigarette users.

Original Description

Working across the Columbia University Irving Medical Center is essential to addressing today’s complex public health challenges. This event, part of the 2025-2026 Grand Rounds series "Public Health Responses to a Changing World," highlighted the VapeScan Study as a model of exemplary interdisciplinary collaboration between Columbia Mailman and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Bringing together faculty from multiple departments on February 5, 2026, the session demonstrated how cross-disciplinary partnerships help bridge critical research gaps. The discussion focused on tobacco and cannabis use and how collaboration at CUIMC helps inform real-world public health issues impacting young adults and their communities.

Introduction by:

Kathleen J. Sikkema, PhD

Interim Dean

Barbara and Bruce P. Dohrenwend Professor of Sociomedical Sciences

Director, Public Mental Health

Panel Discussion by:

Daniel P. Giovenco, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor of Sociomedical Sciences

Ana Navas-Acien, MD, PhD, MPH

Leon Hess Professor and Chair

Department of Environmental Health Sciences

Elizabeth Oelsner, MD, DrPH

Associate Professor of Medicine

Division of General Medicine

Moderated by:

Yuna S.H. Lee, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management

Faculty Director of Healthcare Management

Grand Rounds Series: https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/about-us/events/grand-rounds-series