Silvano Gallus1, Elisa Borroni1, Xiaoqiu Liu1, Laura Carrozzi2, Gianfranco Dalla Pietra3, Shokoofe Eslami Varzaneh4, Sergio Harari5, Giovanni Inciso6, Paola Martucci7, Maria Papale8, Francesco Pistelli2, Biagio Polla9, Maria Francesca Polo10, Rosastella Principe11, Nolita Pulerà12, Stefania Raschi13, Riccardo Sarzani14, Antonella Serafini15, Anna Odone16, Piet van den Brandt17,18, Alessandra Lugo1. 1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy. 2. Pulmonary Unit, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. 3. Department of Pneumology, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy. 4. Department of Pneumology, San Camillo De Lellis Hospital, Rieti, Italy. 5. Department of Medical Sciences and Division of Pneumology, San Giuseppe Hospital, IRCCS MultiMedica, Milan, Italy. 6. Unit of Pneumology, ASL Na 3 (Sanitary District 59), Meta di Sorrento, NA, Italy. 7. Unit of Interventional Pneumology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale "Antonio Cardarelli", Naples, Italy. 8. Department of Respiratory Physiopathology, Regina Elena Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 9. Department of Respiratory System Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera Nazionale SS. Antonio e Biagio e C. Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy. 10. Department of Pneumology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Sassari, Sassari, Italy. 11. Smoking Cessation Center, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy. 12. Department of Pneumology, P.O. di Livorno-AUSL Toscana Nord Ovest, Livorno, Italy. 13. Department of Pneumology, ASST Vimercate, Vimercate, MB, Italy. 14. Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, IRCCS-INRCA, Ancona, Italy. 15. Department of Pneumology, Imperia Hospital, Imperia, Italy. 16. School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. 17. Department of Epidemiology, CAPHRI-School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands. 18. Department of Epidemiology, GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Information is scanty on the patterns and settings of electronic cigarette use and on its possible adverse events. To fill the knowledge gap on these issues, we conducted a survey among ever-smokers attending smoking cessation services (SCS) in Italy. METHODS: In 2016-2018, we enrolled 395 ever-smokers aged ⩾18 years who were current or former electronic cigarette users in 12 SCS from northern, central, and southern Italy. RESULTS: In all, 12.4% of ever smokers were regular, 9.4% occasional, and 78.2% past users of electronic cigarettes. Of all users, 93.8% consumed electronic cigarettes with nicotine, 95.9% used refillable devices, and 76.6% purchased electronic cigarette devices or liquids in vape shops. The mean duration of use was 3.7 months and the mean number of puffs per day was 86. Among users, 71.5% used electronic cigarettes in at least 1 smoke-free indoor environment, 53.7% in workplaces, 49.5% in restaurants and bars, 33.5% in train/metro stations or airports, and 18.4% in public transports. The use of electronic cigarettes in smoke-free environments significantly decreased with age and increased with duration of use and nicotine dependence. In our sample, 47.1% reported at least 1 adverse event attributable to electronic cigarette use: 19.5% dry cough, 12.0% dry mouth, 7.6% throat or mouth irritation, and 6.8% sore throat. CONCLUSION: In Italy, most conventional cigarette smokers use electronic cigarettes where smoking conventional cigarettes is prohibited. About half of users reported 1 or more symptoms attributable to electronic cigarettes, despite the relatively short duration of use.
OBJECTIVE: Information is scanty on the patterns and settings of electronic cigarette use and on its possible adverse events. To fill the knowledge gap on these issues, we conducted a survey among ever-smokers attending smoking cessation services (SCS) in Italy. METHODS: In 2016-2018, we enrolled 395 ever-smokers aged ⩾18 years who were current or former electronic cigarette users in 12 SCS from northern, central, and southern Italy. RESULTS: In all, 12.4% of ever smokers were regular, 9.4% occasional, and 78.2% past users of electronic cigarettes. Of all users, 93.8% consumed electronic cigarettes with nicotine, 95.9% used refillable devices, and 76.6% purchased electronic cigarette devices or liquids in vape shops. The mean duration of use was 3.7 months and the mean number of puffs per day was 86. Among users, 71.5% used electronic cigarettes in at least 1 smoke-free indoor environment, 53.7% in workplaces, 49.5% in restaurants and bars, 33.5% in train/metro stations or airports, and 18.4% in public transports. The use of electronic cigarettes in smoke-free environments significantly decreased with age and increased with duration of use and nicotine dependence. In our sample, 47.1% reported at least 1 adverse event attributable to electronic cigarette use: 19.5% dry cough, 12.0% dry mouth, 7.6% throat or mouth irritation, and 6.8% sore throat. CONCLUSION: In Italy, most conventional cigarette smokers use electronic cigarettes where smoking conventional cigarettes is prohibited. About half of users reported 1 or more symptoms attributable to electronic cigarettes, despite the relatively short duration of use.
Entities:
Keywords:
E-cigarettes; Italy; adverse events; patterns of use; survey
Authors: Silvano Gallus; Elisa Borroni; Anna Odone; Piet A van den Brandt; Giuseppe Gorini; Lorenzo Spizzichino; Roberta Pacifici; Alessandra Lugo Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-16 Impact factor: 3.390