Electronic cigarette use in relation to changes in smoking status and respiratory symptoms.

How e-cigarette use relates to changes in smoking status and respiratory symptoms in the population remains controversial. The aim was to study the association between e-cigarette use and, changes in smoking status and changes in respiratory symptoms. A prospective, population-based study of random samples of the population (age 16-69 years) was performed within The Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden (OLIN) study and West Sweden Asthma Study (WSAS). A validated postal questionnaire containing identical questions was used in OLIN and WSAS at baseline in 2006-2008 and at follow-up in 2016. In total, 17325 participated on both occasions. Questions about respiratory symptoms and tobacco smoking were included in both surveys, while e-cigarette use was added in 2016. In 2016, 1.6% used e-cigarettes, and it was significantly more common in persistent tobacco smokers (10.6%), than in those who quit smoking (2.1%), started smoking (7.8%), or had relapsed into tobacco smoking at follow-up (6.4%) (p<0.001). Among current smokers at baseline, tobacco smoking cessation was less common in e-cigarette users than e-cigarette non-users (14.2% vs 47.6%, p<0.001) and there was no association with a reduction in the number of tobacco cigarettes smoked per day. Those who were persistent smokers reported increasing respiratory symptoms. In contrast, the symptoms decreased among those who quit tobacco smoking, but there was no significant difference in respiratory symptoms between quitters with and without e-cigarette use. E-cigarette use was associated with persistent tobacco smoking and reporting respiratory symptoms. We found no association between e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking cessation, reduction of number of tobacco cigarettes smoked per day or reduction of respiratory symptoms.

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© 2024 Hedman L. et al.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have each completed and submitted an ICMJE form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. The authors declare that they have no competing interests, financial or otherwise, related to the current work. H. Backman reports personal fees for lectures from AstraZeneca, Sanofi, and GlaxoSmithKline. H. Kankaanranta reports personal fees for consultancies or lectures from AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Chiesi Pharma, GSK, MSD, Mundipharma, Novartis, Orion Pharma and SanofiGenzyme. A. Lindberg reports personal fees for lectures and advisory board from Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, AstraZeneca, and GlaxoSmithKline. C. Stridsman reports personal fees for lectures and advisory board from Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and AstraZeneca.