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Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nicotine With Use of Standardized Research Electronic Cigarette (SREC)

Comparative Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Nicotine With Use of NIDA Standardized Research Electronic Cigarette (SREC) vs Usual Brand E-cigarette

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05658471
Acronym
SREC22
Enrollment
32
Registered
2022-12-20
Start date
2023-02-01
Completion date
2026-01-31
Last updated
2026-03-27

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

Conditions

Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Nicotine Dependence, Tobacco Toxicity

Keywords

Nicotine Pharmacokinetics, Nicotine Pharmacodynamics, Electronic Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes

Brief summary

This is a crossover study that will examine use behaviors, chemical exposures, and biological effects of Standardized Research Electronic Cigarette (SREC) compared to usual brand e-cigarette use in natural or synthetic nicotine users.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: I. To characterize nicotine delivery, systemic exposure and effects from SREC in comparison with usual to usual nicotine brand use. II. To assess aspects of harm of SREC use compared to usual nicotine brand use. OUTLINE: Eligible participants will be assigned to one of two treatment conditions for the initial assessment which will take place in a hospital setting. The participant will then be assigned to the second condition within 2 weeks after the initial assessment which will also take place in a hospital setting to repeat the same procedures.

Interventions

Standardized Research E-Cigarette (SREC) will be obtained through NJOY, LLC and provided at the hospital stay.

OTHEROver the Counter E-Cigarette (EC)

Usual brand e-cigarettes will be provided at the hospital stay.

BEHAVIORALBiological Samples

Blood, urine, and expired carbon dioxide will be obtained during the course of the study.

OTHERSmoking-related Questionnaires

Nicotine and Smoking behavior and dependence questionnaires will be administered at screening, before and during hospital stays.

Sponsors

University of California, San Francisco
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Participants will be randomized to the starting condition using a Latin square design

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Healthy on the basis of medical history and limited physical examination- * Heart rate \< 105 beats per minute (BPM)\*. * Systolic Blood Pressure \< 160 and \> 90\*. * Diastolic Blood Pressure \< 100 and \> 50\*. * \*considered out of range if both machine and manual readings are above/below these thresholds. * Body Mass Index \<= 38.0. * Current regular user of electronic cigarettes (EC) * EC device use at least 15 or more days in the past 30 days (with e- liquid \>= 3mg/ml) * No restriction on flavor or type of e-cigarette used * Saliva cotinine \>= 50 ng/ml and/or NicAlert = 6 * Age \>= 21 years old \<= 70 years old * Willingness to abstain from drug use for the duration of the study

Exclusion criteria

* The following unstable medical conditions: * Heart disease * Seizures * Cancer * Thyroid disease (okay if controlled with medication) * Diabetes * Hepatitis B or C or Liver disease * Glaucoma * Kidney disease or urinary retention * History of stroke * An ulcer in the past year * Active use of an inhaler for Asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) * Medications * Use of medications that are inducers of nicotine metabolizing enzyme CYP2A6 (Example: rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and other anticonvulsant drugs). * Use of sympatholytic medications for cardiovascular conditions including hypertension (Example: beta and alpha-blockers). * Concurrent use of nicotine-containing medications (Example: nicotine patch, lozenge, gum). * Any stimulant medications (example: Adderall) generally given for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment. * Other/Misc. Health Conditions * Oral thrush * Fainting (within the last 30 days) * Other "life threatening illnesses" as per principal investigator and/or study physician's discretion * Pregnancy * Pregnancy (self-reported and urine pregnancy test) * Breastfeeding (determined by self-report) * Women of childbearing potential must be using an acceptable method of contraception * Concurrent participation in another clinical trial. * Inability to read and write in English * Planning to quit smoking or vaping within the next 60 days * A known propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin allergy * Uncomfortable with getting blood drawn * Recent onset or change (worsening) in cough, fever and/or abdominal symptoms (vomiting or pain) in the past two weeks

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean Peak Nicotine ConcentrationCollected 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 minutes post end vaping sessionThe investigators will compare peak nicotine concentrations between SREC vs. EC use
Mean Time of Peak Nicotine ConcentrationCollected 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 minutes post end vaping sessionCompare peak nicotine concentration between SREC vs. EC use.
Area Under the plasma nicotine concentration-time Curve (AUC) at 120 minutesCollected 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and 120 minutes post end vaping sessionCompare peak nicotine concentration between SREC vs. EC
Mean overall systemic nicotine exposureduring the 3 hr of ad libitum useDescriptive statistics will be used to examine systemic nicotine exposure from use of SREC and compare to EC
Mean inter-puff intervalduring the 3 hr of ad libitum useThe patterns of SREC puffing and EC use will be examined looking at the average and variability (SD) of inter-puff interval during the 3 hr of ad libitum use.
Change in Mean score on the Modified Cigarette Evaluation Questionnaire (mCEQ)Up to 1 monthThe mCEQ use three multi-item domains (subscales) and two single items: "Smoking Satisfaction", "Psychological Reward", "Aversion", "Enjoyment of Respiratory Tract Sensations" and "Craving Reduction". Scores for each subscale are calculated as the average of its individual item responses of The items are rated on a seven-point scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely). Higher scores indicate greater intensity of each smoking effect with, for example, greater satisfaction or psychological reward after smoking. Scores will be compared between SREC and EC use.
Change in Mean score on the Minnesota Tobacco Withdrawal Scale-Revised (MTWS-R)Up to 1 monthThe MTWS-R features two separate measures for examining the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms in a participant: a self-report scale and an observer scale. The observer scale asks the scale-taker to rate the severity of four symptoms in someone the they know who is experiencing nicotine withdrawal: "angry/irritable/frustrated," "anxious/tense," "depressed," and "restless/impatient." The self-report version asks for rankings of the severity of those same four symptoms, plus eleven others that cannot be observed by outsiders (including such things as "desire or craving to smoke," "insomnia, sleep problems, awakening at night," or "dizziness). Both scales use a Likert-type scale for the severity ratings, ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("severe"). These scores are tallied to calculate an a total withdrawal discomfort score and will be compared between SREC and EC use
Change in Mean score on the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief)Up to 1 monthThe QSU-Brief consists of 10 statements about the respondent's feelings and thoughts about the participants desire to smoke cigarettes as the participant is completing the questionnaire (i.e., right now). Each response is scored a number ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) and total scores are calculated by summing the item scores to compare craving between SREC and EC use

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean acrolein levels within participantsUp to 1 monthUrine excretion of mercapturic acid metabolites of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with a particular focus on acrolein will be measured and compared between SREC and EC use
Mean propylene oxide levels within participantsUp to 1 monthUrine excretion of mercapturic acid metabolites of VOCs, with a particular focus on propylene oxide will be measured and compared between SREC and EC use
Median benzene levels within participantsUp to 1 monthUrine excretion of mercapturic acid metabolites of VOCs, with a particular focus on benzene will be measured and compared between SREC and EC use
Mean heart rate within participantsUp to 1 monthThe cardiovascular effects of e-cigarette use as measured by heart rate will be compared between SREC and EC use
Mean blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) within participantsUp to 1 monthThe cardiovascular effects of e-cigarette use as measured by blood pressure will be compared between SREC and EC use
Mean plasma epinephrine within participantsUp to 1 monthThe cardiovascular effects of e-cigarette use as measured by plasma epinephrine will be compared between SREC and EC use

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORNeal Benowitz, MD

University of California, San Francisco

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 28, 2026