Errors and misquotations in the study of shisha, blood pressure and heart rate in Jordan

Abstract

Aim: This comment is based on a critical review of a study on blood pressure and heart rate in shisha (narghile, hookah) smokers in Jordan. Subjects and methods: The study was analysed against the most recent literature on this issue, in general, and against peer-reviewed biomedical publications from the Middle East, in particular. Results: Several errors and misquotations were found in the study under scrutiny. Most of them stem from misrepresentations related to the chemistry of shisha smoke, the anthropology and geography of its use, and the relevance of the literature cited by the authors (vs. the non-cited one), both from a quality and quantity viewpoint. Conclusion: A clarification is made about all these points of utmost importance and will hopefully help a new generation of researchers avoid wading too far in this field. Against the background of a world epidemic, public health interventions will gain credibility and performance.