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| ID | Type | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5U54HL147127-09 | U.S. NIH Grant/Contract | View source |
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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| National Institutes of Health (NIH) | NIH |
| Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | FED |
| National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) | NIH |
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This study will examine the short-term cardiovascular (CV) effects of e-liquid pH in a randomized, crossover clinical and behavioral pharmacology study of experienced adult e-cigarette users (N=21). The specific aim is to determine the impact of e-cigarette pH levels on nicotine pharmacology, systemic exposure to toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and short-term cardiovascular effects.
This is a single-site, randomized, crossover study of experienced adult e-cigarette users to assess nicotine exposure, toxicant exposure, and the short-term CV effects of e-liquid pH. Three e-liquid pH conditions will be assessed on all participants: 5, 7, and 9.
Hypothesis 2a: The rate of systemic nicotine absorption is inversely related to e-liquid pH and results in lower peak blood nicotine levels at higher pH.
Hypothesis 2b: Heart rate acceleration will decrease and subjective measures of sensation in the throat, reward, and satisfaction will increase with increasing e-liquid pH.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-liquid pH 5, 7, or 9 | Other | Using an electronic cigarette, the participant will complete a standardized vaping session using 1 of 3 assigned e-liquid pH. |
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| 1 of the other 2 remaining e-liquid pH | Other | Using an electronic cigarette, the participant will complete a standardized vaping session using 1 of the other 2 assigned e-liquid pH. |
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| Remaining e-liquid pH | Other | Using an electronic cigarette, the participant will complete a standardized vaping session using the remaining assigned e-liquid pH. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Cigarette | Other | E-cigarette Device: The delivery device will be a variable wattage all-in-one device with operating wattage of 7.0 - 75.0 W. The device will be set at 10 watts for the study visits. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Blood Nicotine Level | Concentration of plasma nicotine (ng/ml) will be used to assess differences across the three e-liquid pH levels. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean Saliva pH | Participant saliva pH will be measured before and during outpatient stay. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean Heart Rate | Participant heart rate will be measured in beats per minute throughout the outpatient stay. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean Skin Blood Flow | Participant skin blood flow will be measured by product of average blood cell velocity and concentration in mL/min during outpatient stay. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean scores on the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS) | The investigators will compile a score for the subjective effect of withdrawal using the sum of points scored on the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS), where a higher score (score range from 0 points to 60 points) indicates a higher intensity of the indicated subjective effect. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean scores on the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief) | The investigators will compile a score for the subjective effect of craving using the sum of points scored in the two subscales (intention and desire to engage in smoking behavior that is anticipated as pleasant, and anticipation of relief from negative affect through smoking) of the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief), where a higher score (score range from 10 points to 70 points) indicates a higher intensity of the indicated subjective effect. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Mean puffs per minute | Vaping topography measures will be obtained from frame by frame analysis of high definition videos during the ad libitum sessions and measured as puffs per minute. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean seconds per puff |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Heart rate < 105 beats per minute (BPM)*
Systolic Blood pressure <160 and > 90*
Diastolic Blood Pressure <100 and > 50*
Body Mass Index (BMI) < 38.0 (at investigator's discretion for higher BMI if no other concurrent health issues)
*considered out of range if both machine and manual readings are above/below these thresholds
Use e-cigarettes on at least 15 days in the past 30 for at least 3 months
Smoke 10 or fewer cigarettes/tobacco products per day in the last 30 days
Willing to use mod e-cigarette
Willing to abstain from tobacco product use for night before study
Age: > 21 years old and < 70 years old
Using e-liquid > 0mg/ml nicotine
Saliva cotinine of ≥ 30 ng/ml or NicAlert=6 (in cases where lab turn around time will delay study procedure)
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Gideon St. Helen, PhD | University of California, San Francisco | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital | San Francisco | California | 94110 | United States | ||
| University of California, San Francisco |
De-identified data may be shared with research collaborators during the course of the study.
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| Type | Date | Date Unknown |
|---|---|---|
| Release | Feb 20, 2026 | |
| Reset | Mar 11, 2026 |
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| Type | Includes Protocol | Includes SAP | Includes ICF | Document Label | Document Date | Document Uploaded Date | Document File Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICF | No | No | Yes | Informed Consent Form | Apr 23, 2024 | Jul 10, 2025 | ICF_000.pdf |
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| Release Date | Unrelease Date | Unrelease Date Unknown | Reset Date | MCP Release Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2026 | Mar 11, 2026 |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D014029 | Tobacco Use Disorder |
| D000072137 | Vaping |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D019966 | Substance-Related Disorders |
| D064419 | Chemically-Induced Disorders |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
| D012907 | Smoking |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D066300 | Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D000074602 | Smoking Devices |
| D008420 | Manufactured Materials |
| D013676 | Technology, Industry, and Agriculture |
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| Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean scores on the Cigarette Evaluation Scale (mCES) | The investigators will compile a score for the subjective effect of reward using the sum of points scored in the five subscales (Smoking Satisfaction - score range from 1 point to 7 points; Psychological Reward - score range from 5 points to 35 points; Aversion - score range from 2 points to 14 points; Enjoyment of Respiratory Tract Sensations - score range from 2 points to 14 points; and Craving Reduction - score range from 1 point to 7 points) of the modified Cigarette Evaluation Scale (mCES), where a higher score indicates a higher intensity of the indicated subjective effect. | Day 1 of each Arm |
Vaping topography measures will be obtained from frame by frame analysis of high definition videos during the ad libitum sessions and measured as seconds per puff.
| Day 1 of each Arm |
| Mean time between puffs | Vaping topography measures will be obtained from frame by frame analysis of high definition videos during the ad libitum sessions and measured as seconds/minutes between puffs. | Day 1 of each Arm |
| San Francisco |
| California |
| 94143 |
| United States |
| D001519 |
| Behavior |