Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) and new heat-not-burn tobacco products such as IQOS®, an electronic device that heats a cigarette-like stick without combustion, are a modern and technological surrogate of traditional tobacco cigarettes (T-cigarettes), that are entering in the commercial market. While the negative effects of the traditional cigarette are well known, little data are reported in scientific literature on the risks on the health by these new smoking devices. Endothelial dysfunction evaluated by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), oxidative stress and platelet activation have been recognized as a hallmark of preclinical systemic atherosclerosis and as a useful marker to stratify the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients at risk or with established clinically significant atherosclerosis. Since no data are reported about the effects of these new smoking device on oxidative stress, platelet activation and FMD, the investigators designed a human study assessing if these new smoking devices have effects on healthy smokers.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
20
See arm/group descriptions.
Sapienza University
Roma, Italy
Endothelial dysfunction
flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) assessed by vascular ultrasound
Time frame: up to 24 weeks
Oxidative stress
Soluble Nox2-derived peptide, a direct marker of NADPH oxidase activation
Time frame: up to 24 weeks
Platelet activation
evaluation of sPselectin, thromboxane and aggregation as markers of platelet activation
Time frame: up to 24 weeks
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