CDC issues guidance on caring for patients with vaping-associated lung injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released updated interim clinical guidance for U.S. health care providers evaluating and caring for patients with lung injury associated with use of electronic cigarette or vaping products. The interim guidance offers clinicians a framework for their initial assessment, evaluation, management and follow-up of people with symptoms associated with the illness. It advises close follow-up of these patients, as some patients who initially had mild symptoms experienced a rapid worsening of symptoms within 48 hours. CDC also released a report summarizing national surveillance data describing clinical features of more recently reported cases and refines CDC’s public health recommendations.
 
Yesterday, CDC updated the number of people with confirmed or probable lung injuries associated with e-cigarette use or vaping products to 1,299 in 49 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, including 26 deaths. CDC and the Food and Drug Administration continue to investigate the cause of the injuries. All of the patients reported using electronic cigarette or vaping products, and most have used products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CDC continues to encourage clinicians to report possible cases to their local or state health department; and the public to consider refraining from vaping products, especially those containing THC, while the investigation continues. For additional information and resources for health care providers, including a poster for clinical settings, visit www.cdc.gov.