Multi-centre Study of Vaping Effects on COVID-19 Presentations in Western Sydney Australia

Aim: This preliminary pilot study aimed to explore a correlation between COVID-19 presentation with e-cigarette vapers in the Western Sydney region of Australia. Method: Extracted data from questionnaires completed by 100 Australians residing in the Western Sydney region who were infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic from March 2020 to March 2022 were analyzed. Data collected included patient age, biological gender, years of vaping, if vaping began prior to COVID-19, weekly vaping frequency, the year that COVID-19 was contracted, and the category of COVID-19 symptoms. The symptoms are scaled into four categories for this study, from lowest severity to high severity based on the World Health Organization's classifications. Results: Vapers in Western Sydney Australia experienced higher severity COVID-19 presentations compared to non-vapers. Biological males were found to be more susceptible than biological females for experiencing the highest severity. Vapers with higher years of vaping had severe COVID-19 presentations compared to lesser years of vaping. Conclusion: Among adults in Western Sydney Australia aged 18 years and above, the collected data showed a correlation between e-cigarette vapers reporting higher severity of COVID-19 presentations compared to non-vapers of the same demographic when they contracted COVID-19.