Successful Nicotine Intake in Medical Assisted Use of E-Cigarettes: A Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Roberta Pacifici¹  Simona Pichini¹  Silvia Graziano¹  Manuela Pellegrini¹  Giuseppina Massaro³  Fabio Beatrice³  Coral Gartner² 

[1] Drug Abuse and Doping Unit, Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation National Institute of Health, Roma 00161, Italy; E-Mails:Drug Abuse and Doping Unit, Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation National Institute of Health, Roma 00161, Italy;;Ospedale San Giovanni Bosco, ASL TO2 Torino 10154, Italy; E-Mails:

关键词: smoking cigarette;    cotinine;    trans-3’-hydroxycotinine;    electronic cigarette;    tobacco harm reduction;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120707638

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The electronic cigarette (e-cig) has gained popularity as an aid in smoking cessation programs mainly because it maintains the gestures and rituals of tobacco smoking. However, it has been shown in inexperienced e-cig users that ineffective nicotine delivery can cause tobacco craving that could be responsible for unsuccessful smoking reduction/cessation. Moreover, the incorrect use of an e-cig could also led to potential nicotine overdosage and intoxication. Medically assisted training on the proper use of an e-cig plus behavioral support for tobacco dependence could be a pivotal step in avoiding both issues. We performed an eight-month pilot study of adult smokers who started e-cig use after receiving a multi-component medically assisted training program with monitoring of nicotine intake as a biomarker of correct e-cig use. Participants were tested during follow-up for breath carbon monoxide (CO), plasma cotinine and trans-3’-hydroxycotinine, and number of tobacco cigarettes smoked. At the end of the first, fourth, and eighth month of follow-up, 91.1, 73.5, and 76.5% of participants respectively were e-cig users (‘only e-cig’ and ‘dual users’). They showed no significant variation in plasma cotinine and trans-3’-hydroxycotinine with respect to the start of the study when they smoked only tobacco cigarettes, but a significant reduction in breath CO. The proposed medically assisted training program of e-cig use led to a successful nicotine intake, lack of typical cigarette craving and overdosage symptoms and a significant decrease in the biomarker of cigarette combustion products.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.