MINEOLA, NY — Two teens were hospitalized on Long Island over the summer after falling ill with a mysterious vaping illness that has sickened dozens of others in New York and nationwide.
An 18-year-old and 19-year-old were treated at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, a spokesperson for the hospital confirmed to Patch on Thursday. The younger teen had to be placed in a medically-induced coma and the older teen wound up with nodes covering both lungs.
„Those are like little tumors,” the spokesperson said in a phone interview.
The older teen will have to be re-scanned periodically to see whether the tumors will resolve on their own.
„In the case of the 18-year-old, he was put in a medically-induced coma and put on a ventilator to breathe,” the spokesperson said. „And he almost died.”
The younger teen suffered from a life-threatening case of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which makes breathing difficult — or even impossible — and rapidly progresses. The cartridge used was sent to a lab for testing, but investigators found nothing particularly unusual, just Vitamin E and tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Given the spate of recent illnesses, however, the cartridge has been resent for further testing, the hospital said.
The younger teen, who did not want his name published, told the New York Post he began to feel queasy two days after smoking THC out of an e-cigarette. His symptoms later developed into a massive headache and intense nausea.
„I knew something was wrong,” the teen told the Post.
He threw up when he got home and started feeling pain in his lower back. The family rushed him to urgent care and then to the emergency room.
The teens, who were both released from the hospital, joined dozens across the country to be hospitalized with the vaping mystery illness. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 215 possible cases of severe pulmonary disease related to electronic cigarettes as of Aug. 27. The illnesses span 25 states and additional pulmonary illnesses are under investigation.
The spate of illnesses forced New York health officials to issue a health advisory last month, alerting health care providers of the emerging health threat. As of Thursday, the state has received 34 cases from doctors about vaping-related lung illnesses. Patients range from as young as 15 to as old as 46. All used at least one marijuana-containing vape product before they fell ill, and each patient said they’d recently used various vaping products.
While the federal investigation has not identified any specific substance or e-cigarette product linked to all cases, many patients reported using e-cigarette products with liquids that contain cannabinoid products, such as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
In New York, high levels of vitamin E acetate were found in nearly all cannabis-containing samples, health officials said. Vitamin E acetate is not an approved additive for vape products authorized by the state’s medical marijuana program, and it was not found in the nicotine-based products. Investigators are now focusing on the acetate as a potential cause to the mysterious lung illnesses.
While Vitamin E acetate is commonly available and not known to cause harm when taken as a vitamin supplement or applied to the skin, the health department is looking into possible health effects when it’s inhaled.
Patients have experienced breathing problems, such as cough, shortness of breath and chest pain, as well as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever and even weight loss, the CDC said.
„Many patients have required medical treatment with supplemental oxygen,” the CDC said. „Some required assisted ventilation.”
Vaping has been the target of officials in the Town of Hempstead, which is considering a ban on flavored e-cigarette liquids, citing their potential health risks and prevalent use among teens. The law, proposed Tuesday morning, has bi-partisan bill support.
In New Jersey, one user talked about vomiting blood. Others said they’d become hopelessly addicted and perpetually sick. Vaping illnesses in that state nearly doubled in three weeks since a statewide health alert was issued.
The state Department of Health said the New Jersey cases have risen dramatically just as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a 25-state outbreak of severe pulmonary disease associated with e-cigarette products.
„This investigation is ongoing and has not identified a cause, but all reported cases have a history of using e-cigarette products,” the CDC said.
In California, trace amounts of pesticides and fungicides were found on some THC products, NYU Winthrop said. One of the fungicides turns into cyanide when heated.
„We have no idea if that’s the case here,” the NYU Winthrop spokesperson said.
Nonetheless, Howard Zucker, the state’s health commissioner, said in a news release that the The cases of pulmonary sicknesses linked to vaping continue to rise across the state and country.
„We urge the public to be vigilant about any vaping products that they or any family members may be using and to immediately contact their health care provider if they develop any unusual symptoms,” he said. „In general, vaping of unknown substances is dangerous, and we continue to explore all options to combat this public health issue.”
Anyone using vape products should never use unregulated products bought „off the street,” the state Health Department said. Marijuana-containing products are not legally available in New York for recreational use and unregulated products — which are not tested — could contain toxic substances.
A spokesperson for the Nassau County Health Department told Patch they are involved in preventing tobacco products from reaching children but not in any investigation of vaping illnesses.