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The Role of Nicotine Dose and Route of Delivery in Affecting Adoption of E-cigarettes and Reducing Exposure to Toxic Combustion Products

The Role of Nicotine Dose and Route of Delivery in Affecting Adoption of E-cigarettes and Reducing Exposure to Toxic Combustion Products

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03492463
Acronym
ENDS-Switch
Enrollment
94
Registered
2018-04-10
Start date
2018-08-06
Completion date
2021-05-31
Last updated
2023-02-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Nicotine Dependence, Cigarettes

Keywords

Nicotine addiction, Cigarette smoking, Nicotine patches, E-cigarettes

Brief summary

This study plans to investigate whether using electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) or skin patches containing nicotine affects switching from smoking conventional combustible (burning) cigarettes.

Detailed description

This study proposes to assess the relative role of nicotine dose and route of delivery in affecting successful switching from combustible cigarettes to e-cigarettes, as well as concomitant reductions in ad libitum cigarette smoking and exposure to harmful and potentially harmful constituents of combustion. The strategy will be to assess adoption of e-cigarette use and concomitant reduction in ad libitum smoking of subjects' usual brands of cigarettes over an 8-week period, during which they will receive nicotine or non-nicotine e-cigarettes, and nicotine skin patches. The nicotine patches will not be used as a therapeutic treatment in this study, but rather as a way to manipulate the nicotine dose, while varying the rate and route of nicotine delivery. Behavioral or habit aspects of e-cigarette use will be controlled for by the groups receiving non-nicotine e-cigarettes. Initially the study design included placebo patch control conditions, but due to limitations in budget and period of support, enrollment in these these arms was discontinued. All participants currently receive active nicotine patches.

Interventions

DRUGNicotine patch

Participants will wear the nicotine patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.

OTHERPlacebo patch

Participants will wear the placebo patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.

Participants will use e-cigarettes containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.

OTHERNon-nicotine e-cigarettes

Participants will use e-cigarettes not containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH
Duke University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Smoke an average of at least 10 cigarettes per day; * Have smoked at least one cumulative year; * Have an expired air CO reading of at least 10ppm; * Have a body weight of \> 110 lbs. (50 kg) and ≤ 300 lbs. (136 kg); * Are able to read and understand English; Potential subjects of child bearing potential must agree to use acceptable contraception during their participation in this study. Potential subjects must agree to avoid the following during their participation in this study: * Participation in any other nicotine-related modification strategy outside of this protocol; * Use of tobacco products other than cigarettes, including pipe tobacco, cigars, snuff, and chewing tobacco; * Use of e-cigarettes other than the ones provided during the study; * Use of experimental (investigational) drugs or devices; * Use of illegal drugs; * Use of exclusionary medications.

Exclusion criteria

* Seeking treatment for nicotine dependence. * Hypertension - systolic BP \> 160 mm Hg, diastolic BP \> 100 mm Hg. Individuals with a history of hypertension may be allowed to participate in the study if the study physician or medical provider determines that the condition is stable and will not jeopardize the individual's safety. * Hypotension (with symptoms) - systolic BP \< 90 mm Hg, diastolic BP \< 60 mm Hg. * Coronary heart disease with symptoms (e.g., chest pain) * Heart attack in the past year * Cardiac rhythm disorder (irregular heart rhythm with symptoms) * Chest pain in the last month (unless history indicates a non-cardiac source) * Symptomatic heart disorder such as heart failure * Advanced liver or kidney disease that requires medication or dialysis, paracentesis * Major gastrointestinal illness (e.g. Celiac disease, Crohn's dx Ulcerative Colitis) * Bleeding stomach ulcers in the past 30 days * Lung disease that requires oxygen * Major brain disorder (including stroke with residual deficit, brain tumor, and seizure disorder) * Migraine headaches that occur more frequently than once per week * Recent, unexplained fainting spells * Problems giving blood samples * Diabetes with insulin use or with HbA1C over 7% * Current cancer or treatment for cancer in the past six months (except basal or squa-mous cell skin cancer) * HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C * History of Tuberculosis or recent positive purified protein derivative (PPD) * Other major medical condition (as determined by study physician) * Currently symptomatic psychiatric disease (as determined by study physician) * Psychosis, bipolar disorder, or psychiatric hospitalization within the past 12 months * Suicidal ideation (thinking about ways to commit suicide) (within the past 12 months) or a lifetime occurrence of attempted suicide; * Current depression - The Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9 for Depression will be used to screen for current (within 2 weeks) depression. Potential subjects who score \>9 (or who score \>0 on item #9 (Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way) will be excluded from study participation, and, at the discretion of the study physician, referred to appropriate psychiatric treatment; * Pregnant or nursing mothers * Use (within the past 30 days) of: * Illegal drugs (or if the urine drug screen is positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cocaine, Amphetamine, Opiates, Methamphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), Benzodiazepines, or Barbiturates), unless recent use of prescription Opiates or Benzodiazepines were taken for management of acute symptoms (e.g., tooth extraction, recent surgery); * Experimental (investigational) drugs; * Psychiatric medications including antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressant (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), St. John's Wort), lithium, anti-psychotics or any other medications that are known to affect smoking cessation (e.g. clonidine); * Phentermine, triptans, tryptophan, linezolid, dextromethorphan, opiates (unless taken for management of acute symptoms), tramadol, or dopamine agonists; * Any agents that have documented correlation with increased incidence of valvulopathy and/or pulmonary hypertension (e.g., cyproheptadine, trazodone, nefazodone, amoxapine, tricyclic antidepressants, mirtazapine, pergolide, ergotamine, methysergide) (or anticipated use during the study); * Wellbutrin, bupropion, Zyban, Chantix, varenicline, nicotine patch, nicotine replacement therapy or any other smoking cessation aid; * Use of cigars, cigarillos, pipes, Hookah, dissolvable nicotine, snuff, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes * Concurrent use of a serotonergic agent/combination associated with severe serotonin syndrome (within the past 30 days) * Use of cigars, cigarillos, pipes, Hookah, dissolvable nicotine, snuff, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes within the past 30 days * Self-report of consuming more than 6 alcoholic drinks on 1 or more days per week * Significant adverse reaction to nicotine patch in the past * Current participation or recent participation (in the past 30 days) in another smoking study at our Center or another research facility * Current participation in another research study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Expired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent SmokingWeek 8The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on the expired air carbon monoxide (CO) measured at the end of the exposure period (Week 8).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily DairiesWeek 8The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on self-report of cigarette consumption on daily diaries (for week 8 only, average cigarettes smoked per day).
E-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily DairiesWeek 8The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of e-cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on self-report of e-cigarette use on daily diaries (for week 8 only).
Total Urinary 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL)Week 8The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on total urinary NNAL, a metabolite of the tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), at the end of week 8.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine Patches
Participants will receive e-cigarettes containing nicotine and nicotine patches (21mg/24hr) and will be asked to switch from cigarette use to use of the study e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Nicotine patch: Participants will wear the nicotine patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks. E-cigarettes: Participants will use e-cigarettes containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.
37
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine Patches
Participants will receive e-cigarettes not containing nicotine and nicotine patches (21mg/24hr) and will be asked to switch from cigarette use to use of the study e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Nicotine patch: Participants will wear the nicotine patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Non-nicotine e-cigarettes: Participants will use e-cigarettes not containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.
33
Nicotine E-cigs + Placebo Patches
Participants will receive e-cigarettes containing nicotine and placebo patches (21mg/24hr) and will be asked to switch from cigarette use to use of the study e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Placebo patch: Participants will wear the placebo patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks. E-cigarettes: Participants will use e-cigarettes containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.
11
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Placebo Patches
Participants will receive e-cigarettes not containing nicotine and placebo patches (21mg/24hr) and will be asked to switch from cigarette use to use of the study e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Placebo patch: Participants will wear the placebo patch daily while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks. Non-nicotine e-cigarettes: Participants will use e-cigarettes not containing nicotine while switching from cigarette use to use of e-cigarettes for eight weeks.
13
Total94

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesNon-nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesNicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesNon-nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesTotal
Age, Continuous49.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.4
46.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.7
46.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.5
45.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.7
47.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.3
Baseline expired air carbon monoxide level30.2 Parts per million (ppm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14.3
27.7 Parts per million (ppm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14
27.2 Parts per million (ppm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.4
28.5 Parts per million (ppm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.7
28.7 Parts per million (ppm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.5
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
37 Participants33 Participants11 Participants13 Participants94 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
9 Participants7 Participants5 Participants7 Participants28 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants1 Participants0 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
25 Participants23 Participants6 Participants6 Participants60 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
37 Participants33 Participants11 Participants13 Participants94 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
25 Participants17 Participants6 Participants8 Participants56 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants16 Participants5 Participants5 Participants38 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
EG003
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 370 / 330 / 110 / 13
other
Total, other adverse events
21 / 3715 / 334 / 114 / 13
serious
Total, serious adverse events
2 / 373 / 331 / 110 / 13

Outcome results

Primary

Expired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent Smoking

The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on the expired air carbon monoxide (CO) measured at the end of the exposure period (Week 8).

Time frame: Week 8

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesExpired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent Smoking18.3 Parts per million (ppm)Standard Deviation 16.2
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesExpired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent Smoking22.9 Parts per million (ppm)Standard Deviation 12.6
Nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesExpired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent Smoking21.3 Parts per million (ppm)Standard Deviation 25.7
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesExpired Air Carbon Monoxide (CO) to Assess Recent Smoking25.6 Parts per million (ppm)Standard Deviation 16.6
Comparison: Due to time and budget constraints a blinded decision was made and approved by the funding agency to limit further enrollment to the two conditions that provided nicotine patches. The primary (one-tailed) test compared Nicotine e-cigs + Nicotine patches to Non-nicotine e-cigs + Nicotine patches.p-value: 0.01Regression, Linear
Secondary

Cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies

The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on self-report of cigarette consumption on daily diaries (for week 8 only, average cigarettes smoked per day).

Time frame: Week 8

Population: Participants with data available at week 8.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesCigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies9.2 cigarettes smoked per dayStandard Deviation 7.7
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesCigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies9.9 cigarettes smoked per dayStandard Deviation 9
Nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesCigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies10.3 cigarettes smoked per dayStandard Deviation 12.3
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesCigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies9.3 cigarettes smoked per dayStandard Deviation 6.9
p-value: 0.8ANOVA
Secondary

E-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies

The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of e-cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on self-report of e-cigarette use on daily diaries (for week 8 only).

Time frame: Week 8

Population: Participants with data available at week 8.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesE-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies2.5 e-cigarette pods per dayStandard Deviation 2.6
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Nicotine PatchesE-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies2.0 e-cigarette pods per dayStandard Deviation 2.5
Nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesE-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies3.5 e-cigarette pods per dayStandard Deviation 3.6
Non-nicotine E-cigs + Placebo PatchesE-cigarette Use, Assessed by Self-report in Daily Dairies2.4 e-cigarette pods per dayStandard Deviation 2.1
p-value: 0.5ANOVA
Secondary

Total Urinary 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL)

The effects of e-cigarette nicotine content and patch nicotine content on the concurrent use of conventional cigarettes will be assessed by comparing the groups on total urinary NNAL, a metabolite of the tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), at the end of week 8.

Time frame: Week 8

Population: Data not collected due to time and budgetary limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026