Effects of Vaping on Post-operative Recurrence of Crohn's Disease

Tobacco smoke is a well-established risk factor for post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. Over the last few decades electronic cigarettes have gained popularity as an alternative to traditional tobacco, however, their effects on Crohn's disease are unknown. Tobacco smoke negatively impacts most outcomes of Crohn's disease including, but not limited to, response to therapy and risk of hospitalization. Smoke is particularly relevant in the post-operative setting, as it increases the chance of disease recurrence after surgical resection, and therefore prophylactic treatment with biologics is recommended in Crohn's patients who smoke. At present, there are no studies evaluating the impact of e-cigarette smoke on post-operative recurrence and therefore informing physicians on the appropriateness of prophylactic treatment in this subset of patients. This study aims to assess the impact of vaping (or smoking of electronic cigarettes) on Crohn's disease endoscopic recurrence after resection as compared to non-smoke and smoke of traditional tobacco cigarettes.