This is a pilot study on the impact of switching from cigarettes to Electronic Cigarettes (EC) on disease-related clinical symptoms and biomarkers of harm in smokers with preexisting Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The researchers hypothesize that the smokers who switch to EC completely or significantly will experience reduced COPD symptoms, risks of exacerbations, and decreased levels of oxidative stress and inflammation.
Smokers with COPD have a higher pack-year history and nicotine dependence compared to regular smokers as exemplified by the relatively large proportion of patients diagnosed with COPD that continue to smoke (95%). This is a translational project which addresses the changing profile of tobacco product use in the United States (US) and the need for data regarding toxicity pathways for new nicotine products such as EC. In particular it focuses on critical scientific and clinically relevant gaps relating to oxidants in EC and their potential long-term cardiopulmonary effects. The study will obtain new information regarding the potential cardiopulmonary toxicity resulting from exposure to EC-derived oxidants that may lead to long-term disease development.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
NJOY e-cigarette with Virginia Tobacco flavored 5% nicotine pods
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
Cigarettes per day
Self reported cigarettes per day
Time frame: 3 months
Number of exacerbations
Number of COPD exacerbations
Time frame: 3 months
Lung function tests (spirometry)
FEV1
Time frame: 3 months
COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores
8-item scale with range of scores from 0-40. Higher scores denote a more severe impact of COPD on a patient's life.
Time frame: 3 months
6-min walk distance (6MWD)
This test measures the distance that a patient can quickly walk on a flat, hard surface in a period of 6 minutes.
Time frame: 3 months
Tobacco exposure
Measure by cotinine (ng/ml)
Time frame: 3 months
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