The Relationship Between E-cigarette Use and COVID-19 Infection

Using e-cigarettes typically leads to respiratory illnesses and may also increase individuals' vulnerability to contracting 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), due to impaired lung function.

However, additional contact between fingers and mouths, sharing e-cigarette devices, and removing masks while using e-cigarettes can increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus. Nonetheless, nicotine appears to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 through its anti-inflammatory properties or its interaction with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and COVID-19.

While there is limited research to suggest that vaping causes COVID-19, multiple studies have found no association between adult e-cigarette use and the disease. However, the association between vaping and smoking makes it difficult to determine the independent risk of e-cigarette use.

A new preventive medicine journal reports on a study that used population-based retrospective cohorts to examine the risk of contracting COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing among users of electronic cigarettes.

Regarding this research...

The current study was conducted from March 5, 2020 to November 11, 2020 and included individuals aged 18 to 35 with no history of smoking. Participants were enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) health plan for at least one year prior to the study and had one or more non-urgent, in-person hospital or outpatient visits between May 18, 2019 and the start of the study.

The main finding of this study was the diagnosis of COVID-19 via positive PCR testing. During primary healthcare visits, medical assistants assessed the use of e-cigarettes and collected information on previous e-cigarette use.

The study also collected data on age, gender, number of registered participants in the previous year's healthcare subsidy insurance plan, race/ethnicity, neighborhood poverty index (NDI), healthcare service area, medical complications, and body mass index (BMI).

Research findings.

In summary, 1.2% and 1.6% of participants reported being former or current users of e-cigarettes respectively, while 97.2% reported never having used them. Current and former users were typically male and non-obese, non-Hispanic white. A majority of current users were reported to reside in lower-income communities.

Former users of electronic cigarettes have a higher positive rate for COVID-19 testing compared to current users or those who have never used e-cigarettes.

To sum up, current research suggests that while using e-cigarettes may pose health risks to young people, there is currently no evidence to suggest that e-cigarette use is related to COVID-19. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Limitation

One limitation of current research is that the screening process for e-cigarette use is new and not yet widespread. Additionally, the results may not be generalizable.

This study did not assess the frequency, duration, or quantity of electronic cigarette use. The researchers also did not include participants who had mild or no symptoms of COVID-19.

Another limitation is that the study took place in the initial months of the pandemic and may not be applicable to later stages. Lastly, the researchers did not determine if other factors such as social distancing and asymptomatic testing varied based on e-cigarette status.

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