Electronic cigarette use among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: A cross-sectional hospital-based study in Saudi Arabia

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is among the most common upper airway inflammatory disorders. Conventional cigarette smoking has been significantly associated with CRS. However, little is known about the association between e-cigarette use and CRS. Objectives: To examine the prevalence and patterns of electronic cigarette use among patients with CRS and its association with disease severity. Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud University Medical City, Saudi Arabia, between January 2023 and December 2024. Methods: Patients diagnosed with CRS using computed tomography (CT) scans were interviewed regarding the use of electronic cigarettes after obtaining informed consent. Disease severity was assessed using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and the Lund–Mackay score. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, with a p -value <0.05 indicating significance. Results: A total of 300 patients with CRS were interviewed. The SNOT-22 showed moderate to severe symptom impact, and CT scans revealed severe disease. Electronic cigarette use was reported by 11% of patients (lifetime use), and 4.7% used such cigarettes in the past month. Electronic cigarette use was associated with age, gender, employment status, traditional smoking, nasal septum deviation, and reduced concentration. However, no significant association was found between e-cigarette use and disease severity. Conclusion: Frequency of electronic cigarette use is high among patients with CRS. However, e-cigarettes use did not influence the disease severity. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings.