Dr. Schuchat drew her data from two reports issued in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: a national case update by Peter A. Briss, MD, chair of CDC’s Lung Injury Response Epidemiology/Surveillance Group, and colleagues, and a regional report coauthored by Dr. Layden of cases in Illinois and Wisconsin.
In the national report, 514 patients self-reported their history of e-cigarette and vaping use. Among those, 395 (76.9%) reported using THC-containing products, and 292 (56.8%) reported using nicotine-containing products in the 30 days preceding symptom onset. Almost half (210; 40.9%) reported using both THC- and nicotine-containing products.
But there appeared to be no clear pattern of use, said Dr. Briss, who also participated in the briefing. More than a third (185; 36.0%) reported exclusive use of THC-containing products, and 82 (16.0%) reported exclusive use of nicotine-containing products.
The regional report added additional details.
Among the 86 patients who self-reported details, there were 234 unique cases of e-cigarette or THC vaping in 87 brands.
“Patients reported using numerous products and brands,” Dr. Layden noted. “Those who reported using THC products used an average of 2.1 different products and those who reported using nicotine products used about 1.3 different ones. Some patients reported using up to seven different brands, and these were used at least daily and sometimes numerous times in the day.”
According to the MMWR regional report, among the urinary THC screens obtained for 32 patients, “29 (91%) were positive for THC. One of these patients reported smoking combustible marijuana. Urinary THC levels for four patients who reported using THC-containing products exceeded 400 ng/ml, indicating intensive use of THC or THC-containing products.”
About 40% of THC users and 65% of nicotine-product users reported using the product at least five times a day; 52% said they used combustible marijuana in addition to the vapes, and 24% reported also smoking combustible tobacco.
There was a very low level of concomitant drug use. Two patients reported using LSD; one reported misusing dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall), and one reported misusing oxycodone. Two tested positive for benzodiazepines and opioids, and one each for only benzodiazepines, only opioids, only amphetamines. One patient screened positive for unidentified narcotics.