Very-Low Nicotine Cigarettes and Non-Daily Smokers

Smoking Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Very-Low Nicotine Cigarettes on Smoking in Non-Daily Smokers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02228824
• Other study ID #: 3P30CA047904-25S4
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 2015
• Est. completion date: July 31, 2017

Study information

• Verified date: October 2018
• Source: University of Pittsburgh
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the impact of different nicotine levels in cigarettes among non-daily smokers. This research may help inform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on how best to regulate tobacco products in the future, with the goal of improving public health.

Description:

The overall goal of the study is to assess the effects of switching to Very-Low-Nicotine-Content cigarettes (VLNCCs) among non-daily, or intermittent smokers (ITS). This is a two-arm randomized study with an own-cigarette baseline control. After a 2-week baseline period smoking their own cigarettes, 455 ITS will be randomized (double-blind) for 10 weeks to smoke experimental cigarettes, either: (a) normal nicotine content cigarettes (NNCCs; 0.8 mg) or (b) VLNCCs (0.07 mg), each matched to menthol status of subjects' preferred brand. ITS are more likely to be African-American (AA) smokers; thus AA smokers will be oversampled (to one third of the total sample). Change in cigarette consumption is the primary end-point, and biomarkers of smoke exposure and measures of smoking intensity are also assessed.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 312
• Est. completion date: July 31, 2017
• Est. primary completion date: July 31, 2017
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 18 years or older, and smoking cigarettes for at least 3 years

• smoking, on average, 4-27 days per month

• smoking at current rate for at least the previous 3 months

• willingness to try novel cigarettes

Exclusion Criteria:

• active plans to quit or actively seeking smoking cessation treatment in the next 3 months

• severe psychiatric disorders that may interfere with study procedures

• current, regular (i.e., monthly or more) use of nicotine replacement or other tobacco products, by self-report

• exclusive use of roll-your-own cigarettes (since the study uses manufactured cigarettes)

• [for female participants] being pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, by self-report

• current use of medications such as Chantix (varenicline), Zyban, Wellbutrin, or bupropion for any purpose, including stopping smoking

• occurrence of heart attack, stroke, or angina in the past 3 months

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Smoking

Intervention

Drug:
• Very low nicotine content cigarettes
0.07 mg nicotine delivery
• Normal nicotine content cigarettes
0.8 mg nicotine delivery

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Smoking Research Group, University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Saul Shiffman	National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in Cigarette Consumption	Difference in mean daily cigarette consumption between initial two-week baseline period and final two weeks of experimental period, using imputed data	Two-week pre-intervention baseline period compared to final two weeks of 10-week intervention period
Secondary	Exposure Measure - Solanesol	The concentration of solanesol, a stable marker indicator of how much smoke has passed through the filter of a smoked cigarette to the smoker, will be assayed as a measure of smoking intensity. The filter of a cigarette butts smoked during the baseline period will be compared to those smoked during the experimental period.	Post-randomization time points at study weeks 4, 8, 12
Secondary	Exposure Measure - Smoking Topography	Difference between average puff volume per cigarette at laboratory smoking topography sessions at study weeks 4, 8, and 12 across all participants, comparing those assigned to the very-low-nicotine-content cigarette condition to those assigned to the normal-nicotine-content cigarette condition. Topography measures were averaged across all time points for each treatment group.	Post-randomization study visits at study weeks 4, 8, 12
Secondary	Exposure Measure - Cotinine (Logged)	Cotinine nicotine exposure measure, analyzed from urine samples taken at study office visits; The natural logarithm (ln) of the cotinine measures was used for analysis.; Difference in ln(cotinine) between baseline and end of study, from imputed data	Post-randomization office visits weeks 2 (end of baseline period) and 12 (end of study)
Secondary	Exposure Measure - Cigarette Butt Weight	Mean mass smoked per cigarette (calculated as the starting cigarette weight minus returned butt weight) aggregated for all cigarettes smoked among participants assigned to the very-low-nicotine-content cigarette, compared to those assigned to the normal-nicotine-content cigarette condition.	Entire length of study, through completion, up to 12 weeks