A Structured Protocol to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of a Popular Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) Efficacy and Safety of a Popular Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette)

Universita degli Studi di Catania

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy Smokers; Smoking Cessation

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT01188239

CAT02/10

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study's major aim is to investigate the ability of a commercial Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) loaded with low dose nicotine to induce long-term smoking reduction/abstinence in smokers unwilling to quit. Secondary aims are to investigate changes in withdrawal symptoms and cravings and to examine whether concomitant use of the E-Cigarette and smoking is safe. The study will monitor smoking reduction/abstinence effects, changes in withdrawal symptoms, and adverse events of a currently marketed device in Italy ("Categoria" electronic cigarette) using initially for 6 weeks "ORIGINAL" 7.4 mg nicotine cartridges followed by a further 6 weeks of "CATEGORIA" 5.2 mg nicotine cartridges. The primary hypothesis is that the E-Cigarette used in a structured protocol is a safe device that allows smoking reduction or abstinence in smokers possibly by suppressing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Full description

The electronic cigarette (E-Cigarette) is an electronic nicotine delivery systems designed for the purpose of nicotine delivery to the respiratory system where nor tobacco nor combustion are necessary for its operation. For these reasons, it is possible that this product may be safer than cigarettes. Marketing claims also include that they can be useful smoking cessation aids. Although E-Cigarette may produce lung delivery of nicotine similar to that of tobacco cigarettes and reproduces the gesture component associated with tobacco smoking, very little is known about the effect of E-Cigarette on the smoking habits of regular tobacco smokers. Therefore, we designed a prospective observational study consisting of 8 office-based visits (a baseline visit and a 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-weeks and a final visit at 24-weeks) to monitor possible modifications in the smoking habits of a group of well characterized regular smokers experimenting the e-cigarette focusing on long-term smoking reduction/abstinence, changes in withdrawal symptoms/cravings and adverse events. Specifically, 100 smokers will be given "Categoria" electronic cigarette initially loaded with "ORIGINAL" 7.4 mg nicotine cartridges for 6 weeks followed by "CATEGORIA" 5.2 mg nicotine cartridges for a further 6 weeks. A final follow up visit will be carried out at 24 weeks.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• healthy smokers unwilling to quit
• 18 and 60 years of age
• cigarette intake of ≥ 15 cig/day for at least 5 years
• CO level of ≥ 15 ppm
• FTND ≥ 5

Exclusion criteria

• alcohol and illicit drug use
• breastfeeding, or pregnancy
• current attempts to quit smoking
• previous experience with electronic cigarettes

Trial design

100 participants in 1 patient group

HIGH 6wks LOW 6wks NICOTINE

Description:

Well characterized group of 100 regular smokers experimenting the E-Cigarette loaded with ORIGINAL" 7.4 mg nicotine cartridges for 6 weeks followed by "CATEGORIA" 5.2 mg nicotine cartridges for a further 6 weeks (high and low nicotine group).