The VapeScan Study is a cross-sectional research study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. It was published on September 1, 2026 in JACC: Advances, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study was designed to measure early (subclinical) markers of cardiovascular risk in young adults who vape.
In plain terms: Instead of waiting decades to see if vapers develop heart disease, the researchers measured early warning signs — blood pressure, blood vessel function, and coronary artery calcification — in 372 young adults. This approach lets us see potential cardiovascular effects of vaping long before clinical disease appears.
Researchers recruited 372 cardiovascular disease-free participants aged 18 to 49 in the New York City metropolitan area between May 2021 and May 2024. Participants were classified into four groups:
- Vaping/never smoking — e-cigarette users who had never smoked combustible tobacco
- Vaping/former smoking — e-cigarette users who had quit smoking
- Dual use — current e-cigarette users who also currently smoked
- Never vaping/never smoking — the control group
The median age was 26 years (range: 18-49), 50.5% were male, and the median duration of vaping was 4 years (interquartile range: 2-6 years). Participants completed detailed questionnaires on vaping habits (puffs per day, days per month, device type, nicotine concentration, years of use), smoking history, cannabis use, and demographics. Urinary cotinine was measured in a subset of 110 participants to verify nicotine exposure.
The study measured three markers of cardiovascular risk:
| Marker | What It Measures | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Systolic/Diastolic Blood Pressure | Pressure in arteries when heart beats/rests | Hypertension is the #1 risk factor for cardiovascular disease |
| Framingham Reactive Hyperemia Index (fRHI) | Endothelial function (blood vessel health) | Impaired endothelial function is an early marker of atherosclerosis |
| Spatially Weighted CAC Score | Coronary artery calcification | Calcium buildup indicates subclinical atherosclerosis |
