Effects of Waterpipe Smoking on the Course of COVID-19 Infection

Objective: Smoking, and also water pipe smoking (hookah), is a common method of tobacco use in Southwest Asia and Middle East countries. Although the relationship between coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection and smoking has been evaluated in many studies, no study has been conducted to evaluate the relationship between COVID-19 infection and water pipe smoking. Methods: We enrolled 150 in-hospital patients. The severity of disease classified as mild, moderate, severe, and critically ill. The relationship between waterpipe smoker, smoker and non-smoker patients and severity of disease statistically evaluated. Results: Patients with minimal involvement (1-25%) on thorax computed tomography were found to be higher in the smoker and cigarette-hookah smoking group compared to the non-smoking group, and the patients with moderate involvement (51-75%) were found to be less in the smoking-hookah group. in terms of disease degree;It was found that there were more mild and moderate smokers in the smoking and smoking-hookah group than the non-smoking group. The C-reactive protein and sedimentation values of cigarette-waterpipe tabocco smokers were found to be lower than non-smokers. Conclusion: Waterpipe smoking does not aggravate the course of the disease in the young population, but new studies are needed for its effects on the elderly population.