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. 2020 Dec 14;17(24):9334.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249334.

Depression and Nicotine Withdrawal Associations with Combustible and Electronic Cigarette Use

Michele L Pergadia  1 , John W Newcomer  1   2 , David G Gilbert  3
Affiliations

Depression and Nicotine Withdrawal Associations with Combustible and Electronic Cigarette Use

Michele L Pergadia et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Depression is a risk factor for nicotine use and withdrawal. Population level epidemiologic studies that include users of either combustible or electronic cigarette (NICUSER) could inform interventions to reduce nicotine dependence in vulnerable populations. The current study examined the relationship between depression diagnosis (DEPDX), NICUSER, and lifetime rates of DSM-V nicotine withdrawal (NW) symptoms in a nationally representative sample of US adults (N = 979), who answered related questions in surveys administered through GfK's KnowledgePanel. Over 42% of the sample reported lifetime ever combustible cigarette use, 15.6% electronic-cigarette use, and 45.9% either (NICUSER). Weighted logistic regression analyses (controlling for age and gender) found that DEPDX was associated with 2.3 times increased odds (ratio (OR); 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.5-3.5) of being a NICUSER. Regarding risks of NW symptoms among NICUSER, models that additionally controlled for frequency of nicotine use found that DEPDX was significantly associated with increased odds of concentration problems (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3-4.5) and depressed mood (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.1) when quitting or cutting down on nicotine use. Results highlight the consistent comorbidity between depression, nicotine use, and symptomatic nicotine withdrawal in a population-based sample of combustible and electronic cigarette users.

Keywords: depression; nicotine; withdrawal symptoms.

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Conflict of interest statement

M.L.P. and D.G.G. had none to report. J.W.N., in the three years prior to this report, has received grant support from the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA; H79SM080142), and the NIH (MH118395; MH106682); has served as a consultant to Sunovion, Intra-Cellular Therapies, Otsuka, and Alkermes; has been involved in patent litigation on behalf of Sunovion; and serves on a Data Safety Monitoring Board for Amgen.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tobacco Product Use by History of Depression (DEPHX). ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001; **** p < 0.0001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Risk of DSM-V tobacco withdrawal symptoms in electronic- or combustible-cigarette users with depression history compared to no depression history (N = 457). * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01: results from weighted logistic regression analyses; adjusted odds ratios (and 95% CIs) after controlling for frequency of nicotine use per day, age, and gender; an odds ratio above 1 indicates increased risk of symptom and below 1 decreased risk.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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