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Changes in Concentration of Selected Biomarkers of Exposure in Users of Classic Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes, and Heated Tobacco Products—A Narrative Review
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This review compares biomarkers of health effects in users of traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products, covering inflammation markers, growth factors, and oxidative stress indicators. Notably, the review includes microplastics as an emerging biomarker of exposure, recognizing that tobacco products -- especially those with plastic components -- may be a source of microplastic intake with potential health consequences.
Currently, the number of e-cigarette and heated tobacco product (HTP) users are steadily increasing, while the number of classic cigarette users are decreasing. The effects of smoking classic cigarettes on human health have been thoroughly described in the literature, but the negative health effects of e-cigarettes and HTPs on the human body are not clearly defined. Among users of different forms of tobacco, those at a particularly high risk of developing particular disease entities should be identified, allowing for the faster implementation of potential treatments, including psychotherapeutic ones. Biomarkers are used for this purpose. This paper summarizes the potential of these compounds from the different exposure groups of classic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and HTPs, and presents changes in their concentrations in the body fluids of different tobacco users. This review discusses the impact of tobacco use in relation to levels of the following biomarkers: TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-4, Il-13, TGF-β, VEGF EGF, HGF, BDNF, MMP-9, CRP, microplastics, and selected parameters of oxidative stress. This review also includes suggested forms of treatment, including Tobacco Product Use Reduction Programs, to minimize the potential negative effects of the above-mentioned products.
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