The association between smoking/vaping habits and self-reported respiratory symptoms

Abstract

Background: Smoking is well known for its harmful effect on the respiratory system, but whether vaping is less harmful is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the association of smoking/vaping habits with self-reported respiratory symptoms in vapers and cigarette smokers.

Methods: An online survey was developed and shared on different vaping and smoking social media platforms and communities.

Results: Out of the 891 respondents, 788 were vapers (77 pure vapers and 711 ex-smokers) and 103 were cigarette smokers. Smokers reported more frequently respiratory symptoms such as chest pain, wheezing and whistling, sputum production, cough, dry mouth, and smokers suffered from more shortness of breath, sore throat and disturbed sleep compared to vapers. The self-reported respiratory symptoms in vapers were mainly related to the nicotine strength of the product and number of puffs per use. There were no significant differences between pure vapers and vapers who were ex-smokers.

Conclusion: Self-reported severe respiratory symptoms were less frequent in vapers than smokers, irrespective of their smoking history. This suggests that vaping is less harmful than cigarette smoking.

Figure 1

Prevalence of A) wheezing or whistling in the chest in the past, B) number of attacks of wheezing/whistling in the last 12 months, C) incidence of sleep disturbance due to wheezing in the last 12 months and D) incidence of phlegm production in the last 12 months in vapers who were ex-smokers, vapers and cigarette smokers. Data are presented as mean ranking. *: significantly different from cigarette smokers at p<0.05; α: significantly different from vapers ex-smokers at p<0.05. Values on the y-axis are the average ranks for each group. The rank values were obtained from the non-parametric test “ Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test’’.

Figure 2

Frequency A) of shortness of breath, B) chest pain, C) feeling of choking and D) heart palpations in the last 12 months in vapers who were ex-smokers, vapers and cigarette smokers. Data are presented as mean ranking. *: significantly different from cigarette smokers at p<0.05; α: significantly different from vapers ex-smokers at p<0.05. Values on the y-axis are the average ranks for each group. The rank values were obtained from the non-parametric test “ Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test’’.

Figure 3

A) Chest sounding wheezy, B) dry cough, C) frequency of sore throat and D) feeling of mouth irritation in the last 12 months in vapers who were ex-smokers, vapers and cigarette smokers. Data are presented as mean ranking. *: significantly different from cigarette smokers at p<0.05; α: significantly different from vapers ex-smokers at p<0.05. Values on the y-axis are the average ranks for each group. The rank values were obtained from the non-parametric test “ Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test’’.