Association Between E-Cigarette Use and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Smoking Status: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016 and 2017
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Introduction: The association between e-cigarette use and chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has not been studied thoroughly, particularly in populations
defined by concomitant combustible smoking status.
Methods: Using pooled 2016 and 2017 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System,
investigators studied 705,159 participants with complete self-reported information on e-cigarette use,
combustible cigarette use, key covariates, and chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Current e-cigarette use was the main exposure, with current use further classified
as daily or occasional use. The main outcome was defined as reported ever having a diagnosis of
chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For all the analyses, multi-
variable adjusted logistic regression was used, with the study population stratified by combustible ciga-
rette use status (never, former, or current). All the analyses were conducted in 2019.
Results: Of 705,159 participants, 25,175 (3.6%) were current e-cigarette users, 64,792 (9.2%) current
combustible cigarette smokers, 207,905 (29.5%) former combustible cigarette smokers, 432,462
(61.3%) never combustible cigarette smokers, and 14,036 (2.0%) dual users of e-cigarettes and combus-
tible cigarettes. A total of 53,702 (7.6%) participants self-reported chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Among never combustible cigarette smokers, current e-ciga-
rette use was associated with 75% higher odds of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstruc-
tive pulmonary disease compared with never e-cigarette users (OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.25, 2.45), with
daily users of e-cigarettes having the highest odds (OR=2.64, 95% CI=1.43, 4.89). Similar associations
between e-cigarette use and chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
were noted among both former and current combustible cigarette smokers.
Conclusions: The results suggest possible e-cigarette−related pulmonary toxicity across all thecategories of combustible cigarette smoking status, including those who had never smoked combus-
tible cigarettes.
