Differences in anxiety, depression and pain experience among adults with chronic low back pain as a function of nicotine product use

The landscape of nicotine use in the United States (US) has continued to evolve, with electronic cigarette use (hereafter e-cigarette) becoming more evident in recent years. Patterns of dual nicotine use, or using combustible nicotine in conjunction with e-cigarettes, may increase dependence on nicotine, continued exposure to toxins, and corresponding health risks. One of the most prevalent health problems related to nicotine use is the experience of chronic pain. Past work has established a bidirectional relationship between nicotine use and pain, such that pain motivates nicotine use and nicotine use contributes to pain. However, no work has explored differences in negative mood and pain experience as a product of nicotine use type among adults with chronic low back pain. The current cross-sectional study examined whether dual cigarette/e-cigarette use was associated with greater anxiety, depression, and pain experience among a sample of adult nicotine users (cigarettes and/or e-cigarettes) with self-reported mild to severe chronic low back pain (N = 1034, 66.0% female, M_age= 44.47 years, SD = 11.63). Results indicated that, compared to exclusive combustible nicotine users, dual cigarette/e-cigarette users had statistically significantly higher anxiety, depression, and pain disability scores, beyond the effects of age, sex, education, and use of opioid medications for pain. No significant group differences emerged as a function of exclusive e-cigarette use. The current findings highlight that dual cigarette/e-cigarette use may serve to mark a subpopulation of persons with chronic low back pain who present more complicated clinical features that require comprehensive care.