E-Cigarette and Cigarette Use in Youth Linked With Heightened Risk for COVID

The use of e-cigarettes and of cigarettes (or both) in youth was associated with an increased risk for COVID-19, a recent paper suggests.

The researchers conducted a national survey of more than 4,000 adolescents and young adults aged between 13 and 24 years. They conducted multivariable logistic regression to assess potential relationships between COVID-19 symptoms, testing, diagnosis, cigarette-only usage, e-cigarette only usage, dual usage, sociodemographic factors, obesity, and complying with government shelter-in-place orders.

According to the study results, those diagnosed with COVID-19 were five times more likely to have ever used cigarettes only (95% CI, 1.82 to 13.96), seven times more likely to have used both (95% CI, 2.40 to 24.55), and 6.8 times more likely to have used both within the past 30 days prior to COVID-19 diagnosis (95% CI, 2.40 to 19.55). They also reported that testing was nine times more likely to be done in those who used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes within the lat 30 days (95% CI, 5.43 to 15.47) and 2.6 times more likely among those using only cigarettes within the last 30 days before diagnosis. Those who had used both up to 30 days out from the diagnosis were 4.7 times more likely to show COVID-19 symptoms.

“Our findings from a national sample of adolescents and young adults show that e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes are significant underlying risk factors for COVID-19 that has previously not been shown,” the authors wrote in the paper’s conclusion. “The findings have direct implications for health care providers to ask all youth and COVID-19–infected youth about cigarette and e-cigarette use history; for parents, schools, and community-based organizations to guide youth to learn more about how e-cigarettes and dual use affect the respiratory and immune systems; for the Food and Drug Administration to effectively regulate e-cigarettes during the COVID-19 pandemic; and for the development and dissemination of youth-focused COVID-19 prevention messaging to include e-cigarette and dual use.”

This study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Study last week in @JAdolesHealth surveyed youth 13-24 for inhaled tobacco use and rate of #COVID19. Findings:

-Ever use ecig –> 5x rate
-Ever dual use ecig + cig –> 7x

Of recent tobacco users, Black/Hispanic youth had 2x the rate of COVID19 symptomshttps://t.co/xPvyMTeNN9 pic.twitter.com/LBRSUpks7o

— Daniel G. Aaron, MD, JD (@MedlawDan) August 18, 2020

https://twitter.com/mlinaric_martin/status/1295639727551459329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1295639727551459329%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fplu.mx%2Fplum%2Fa%2F%3Fdoi%3D10.1016%2Fj.jadohealth.2020.07.002theme%3Dplum-jbs-themehideUsage%3Dtrue

Study results: Past 30-day vaping is NOT associated with reporting a positive COVID test among a group of 13-24 year olds taking an online survey, but ever use is.

Conclusion: "COVID-19 is associated with youth use of e-cigarettes only…"https://t.co/IvJdyWldd8 pic.twitter.com/pG0Z4T4WDP

— Gregory Conley (@GregTHR) August 11, 2020

Study shows strong association between #vaping and #COVID19.

National sample of adolescents and young adults show that e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes are significant underlying risk factors for #COVID19

We need to make youth aware of the risk 😮 https://t.co/afD2wT91CG

— renumathyd (@renumathyd) August 11, 2020