Nicotine Delivery and Pharmacokinetics of an Electronic Cigarette Compared With Conventional Cigarettes in Chinese Adult Smokers: A Randomized Open-Label Crossover Clinical Study. Issue 12 (11th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guo, Yi; Li, Shoufeng; Wang, Zhi; Jiang, Fulin; Guan, Yanping; Huang, Min; Zhong, Guoping
• Is Part Of: Nicotine & tobacco research. Volume 24:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1881
• Page End: 1888
• Publication Date: 2022-06-11
• Subjects: Nicotine -- Periodicals; Tobacco -- Research -- Periodicals; Tobacco habit -- Periodicals; Nicotine -- Periodicals; Tobacco -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Periodicals; 613.85
• DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac143
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-2203

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: To evaluate the nicotine pharmacokinetics of a commercial electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) relative to conventional cigarettes in Chinese adult smokers. Aims and Methods: A randomized, open-label, crossover clinical study was conducted on 23 healthy adult Chinese smokers. In two sessions, subjects used either the e-cigarettes with 30 mg/g nicotine in e-liquid or conventional cigarettes of a given brand, at one puff every 30 seconds for a total of 10 puffs. Blood samples were collected at specified time points for 4 hours after the first puff. Subjective effects on desire-to-smoke and physiological parameters such as heart rate and oxyhemoglobin saturation levels were also examined before and after using the two products. Results: The baseline-adjusted maximum nicotine concentration ( C max-BL ), time-to-peak nicotine concentration ( T max ), and nicotine absorption rate ( C max-BL divided by T max ) were found to be similar for the e-cigarette versus those of conventional cigarettes ( p > .05). Total nicotine exposure measured as the area-under-curve (AUC0- t -BL ) was significantly lower for the e-cigarette relative to that of conventional cigarettes. In addition, the subjects found that e-cigarettes were well tolerated under controlled puffing conditions. Conclusions: The test e-cigarettes achieved similar nicotine delivery and pharmacokinetic profiles to those of the comparator cigarettes, indicating that this e-cigarette could be a potential alternative to conventional cigarettes for those adult smokers. Implications: There are no data in the published literature on the nicotine pharmacokinetics of e-cigarettes in Chinese smokers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the nicotine delivery and pharmacokinetic profile of a commercial e-cigarette brand compared with conventional cigarettes in Chinese adult smokers. After the use of test e-cigarettes, nicotine delivery and pharmacokinetic profile were similar to those of conventional cigarettes in Chinese adult smokers.