Assessing the Complex Impact of Smoking Habits on Allergic Rhinitis: A National Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Epidemiology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Allergic rhinitis (AR) significantly impacts quality of life and incurs socioeconomic costs.
• The relationship between smoking habits (conventional cigarettes [CCs] and electronic cigarettes [ECs]) and AR prevalence and management is debated.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between smoking status (CC and EC use) and the prevalence and management of AR in Korean adults.
• To analyze data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VII (2018) and VIII (2019-2021).

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 22,290 participants aged 19+ from KNHANES.
• Self-reported smoking status and measured urinary cotinine levels for nicotine exposure assessment.
• Logistic regression analysis to examine relationships between smoking, cotinine levels, and AR prevalence/management.

Main Results:

• Univariable analysis: EC users showed a 35.8% increased AR risk; CC users showed a 27.7% reduced risk.
• Multivariable analysis: CC users had a 20.3% lower AR risk; no significant association for EC users.
• Higher cotinine levels (>500 ng/mL) correlated with lower AR prevalence, particularly in heavy CC users, but this lost significance after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• Smoking status is associated with AR prevalence in Koreans.
• Heavy conventional cigarette use demonstrates a negative correlation with AR prevalence.
• The specific impact of electronic cigarette use on AR requires further investigation.