Efficacy and Safety of an Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) Without Nicotine Cartridges

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01194583
• Recruitment Status: Completed
• First Posted: September 3, 2010
• Last Update Posted: January 8, 2013
• Sponsor: Universita degli Studi di Catania
• Collaborators: Lega Italiana Anti Fumo; Arbi Group Srl
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): Riccardo Polosa, Universita degli Studi di Catania

Tracking Information

• First Submitted Date: September 2, 2010
• First Posted Date: September 3, 2010
• Last Update Posted Date: January 8, 2013
• Study Start Date: April 2010
• Actual Primary Completion Date: April 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Current Primary Outcome Measures (submitted: September 2, 2010)

• Sustained 50% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day at week-12 from baseline [ Time Frame: week-12 ]
  50% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day documented at each study visit (week-2, -4, -6, -8, -10, and -12)
• Sustained smoking abstinence at week-12 [ Time Frame: week 12 ]
  Sustained smoking abstinence at week-12, defined as complete abstinence from tobacco smoking (not even a puff) for the 14 days period prior to week-12 study visit; exhaled CO levels will be measured to objectively verify smoking status.

• Original Primary Outcome Measures: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome Measures (submitted: September 2, 2010)

• Sustained 80% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day at week-12 from baseline [ Time Frame: week-12 ]
  80% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day documented at each study visit (week-2, -4, -6, -8, -10, and -12).
• Sustained smoking abstinence at week-24 [ Time Frame: week 24 ]
  Sustained smoking abstinence at week-24, defined as complete abstinence from tobacco smoking (not even a puff) for the 30 days period prior to week-24 study visit; exhaled CO levels will be measured to objectively verify smoking status.
• Sustained 50% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day at week-24 from baseline [ Time Frame: week-24 ]
  50% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day documented at each study visit (week-2, -4, -6, -8, -10, -12 and -24)
• Sustained 80% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day at week-24 from baseline [ Time Frame: week-24 ]
  50% reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day documented at each study visit (week-2, -4, -6, -8, -10, -12 and -24).
• Withdrawal suppression (by MNWS) [ Time Frame: 24 weeks ]
• Cravings reduction (by VAS) [ Time Frame: 24 wks ]
• Reported adverse events rate from baseline [ Time Frame: 24 wks ]

• Original Secondary Outcome Measures: Same as current
• Current Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures: Not Provided
• Original Other Pre-specified Outcome Measures: Not Provided

Descriptive Information

• Brief Title: Efficacy and Safety of an Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) Without Nicotine Cartridges
• Official Title: Randomised Controlled Trial Investigating the Efficacy and Safety of an Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) Without Nicotine Cartridges in Smokers
• Brief Summary: The study's major aim is to investigate the ability of a commercial Electronic Nicotine Delivery Device (E-Cigarette) 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 - "NO nicotine" cartridges). The primary hypothesis is that the E-Cigarette is a safe device that allows smoking reduction or abstinence in smokers possibly by suppressing withdrawal symptoms and cravings independently from nicotine delivery.
• Detailed 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 loaded without nicotine ("NO nicotine" cartridges) and followed up for a total of 24 weeks.</
• Study Type: Observational
• Study Design: Observational Model: Cohort; Time Perspective: Prospective
• Target Follow-Up Duration: Not Provided
• Biospecimen: Not Provided
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample
• Study Population: Regular smokers from Catania in Italy recruited following the placement of an advertisement in a local newspaper.

Condition

• Healthy Smokers
• Smoking Cessation

• Intervention: Not Provided

Study Groups/Cohorts

NO NICOTINE

Well characterized group of 100 regular smokers experimenting the E-Cigarette without nicotine cartridges (NO nicotine group).

• Publications *: Not Provided

Recruitment Information

• Recruitment Status: Completed
• Actual Enrollment (submitted: September 2, 2010): 100
• Original Estimated Enrollment: Same as current
• Actual Study Completion Date: April 2012
• Actual Primary Completion Date: April 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy smokers unwilling to quit, between 18 and 60 years of age. They should report a cigarette intake of ≥ 15 cig/day for at least 5 years. At screening they must provide a CO level of ≥ 15 ppm and an FTND ≥ 5.

Exclusion Criteria:

• alcohol and illicit drug use, breastfeeding, or pregnancy. Individuals who report current attempts to quit smoking and previous experience with electronic cigarettes will be also excluded.

Sex/Gender

• Sexes Eligible for Study: All

• Ages: 18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Contacts: Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
• Listed Location Countries: Italy

Administrative Information

• NCT Number: NCT01194583
• Other Study ID Numbers: CAT03/10
• Has Data Monitoring Committee: Yes
• U.S. FDA-regulated Product: Not Provided
• IPD Sharing Statement: Not Provided
• Responsible Party: Riccardo Polosa, Universita degli Studi di Catania
• Study Sponsor: Universita degli Studi di Catania

Collaborators

• Lega Italiana Anti Fumo
• Arbi Group Srl

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Riccardo Polosa, MD, PhD; Università di Catania

• PRS Account: Universita degli Studi di Catania
• Verification Date: January 2013