Age Matters: COVID-19 Prevalence in a Vaping Adolescent Population – An Observational Study

  1. Nitin Tandan
  2. Manjari Rani Regmi
  3. Ruby Maini
  4. Abdisamad M. Ibrahim
  5. Cameron Koester
  6. Odalys Estefania Lara Garcia
  7. Priyanka Parajuli
  8. Mohammad Al-Akchar
  9. Mukul Bhattarai
  10. Abhishek Kulkarni
  11. Robert Robinson

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Abstract

Background

Currently, there is limited or no data demonstrating that vaping is associated with increased transmission or prevalence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Our study aims to investigate the relationship of vaping with the prevalence of COVID-19 infection across the United States and in the District of Columbia.

Methods

COVID-19 case counts by state and the District of Columbia were obtained via the Worldometers website on 04/30/2020. Prevalence of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents were calculated using estimated 2019 population data from the US Census Department. Age ranges analyzed were: high school age children, Ages 18-24, Ages 25-44, and Ages 45-65. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to determine if the rate of vaping was correlated with a higher prevalence of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population.

Findings

The Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated that persons vaping between 18 years and 24 years of age had a correlation coefficient of 0.278 with prevalence of COVID-19 infection (p=0.048). Vaping high school students had a correlation coefficient of 0.153 with prevalence of COVID-19 (p=0.328). Persons vaping in the age group 25-45 years had a correlation coefficient of 0.101 in association to COVID-19 prevalence (p=0.478). And finally, persons vaping between the age 45-65 years old had a correlation coefficient 0.130 with respect to COVID-19 prevalence (p=0.364).

Interpretation

Increased COVID-19 prevalence is associated with vaping in the adolescent population between ages 18 and 24. Further prospective studies need to be performed in order investigate the severity of outcomes of vaping in association with COVID-19 infection.

Funding

Nothing to disclose.

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  1. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.07.03.20146035: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: No direct patient care or contact was undertaken while performing this observational study, thus this study was exempted from Institutional Review Board oversight. a.) Evidence before this study: Current evidence reported by the CDC demonstrated the significant devastation attributed to the COVID-19 infection.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS version 26.
    SPSS
    suggested: (SPSS, RRID:SCR_002865)
    The authors performed a thorough search and review of the available data in CDC, Scopus, PubMed, Journal of the American Medical Association, the Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine.
    PubMed
    suggested: (PubMed, RRID:SCR_004846)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    Potential limitations were observed while conducting this observational study. Because the data obtained was from public domain, we did not have access to other health information regarding all of the patients that were diagnosed with COVID-19. Potential comorbidities, and thus potential confounders, were unable to be identified as this information was not obtainable via the public domain. This may limit the interpretation of the results. We explain our findings cautiously and hope that further prospective studies may be performed in order to evaluate the strength of the conclusion presented in this manuscript.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a protocol registration statement.

    About SciScore

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  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.07.03.20146035v1 on medRxiv