What factors reliably predict electronic cigarette nicotine delivery?

Introduction:
This text summarizes a study that aimed to identify factors predicting nicotine delivery among e-cigarette-experienced users and e-cigarette-naïve cigarette smokers. The study is crucial for determining the efficacy of e-cigarettes as cessation devices, especially given that many smokers report using them for this purpose. The study results have implications for the FDa's regulation of e-cigarettes.

Key points:

* The study used data from four clinical laboratory-based studies, combining a sample size of 130 participants across all four studies.
* The study compared demographic variables and plasma nicotine increase between e-cigarette-experienced users and e-cigarette-naïve cigarette smokers.
* The study used univariate GLM aNOVas to examine the relationship between nicotine delivery and variables such as liquid nicotine concentration, puff duration, puff volume, age, gender, race, and FTND score.
* higher liquid nicotine concentrations were associated with increased plasma nicotine concentrations for both user groups.
* Longer puff durations were significantly associated with nicotine delivery for both user groups.
* Presession plasma nicotine concentration predicted nicotine delivery significantly for e-cigarette-experienced users.
* Puff volume did not predict nicotine delivery for either user group.
* The population characteristics of the study may have influenced the ability to detect significant effects of gender and race on nicotine delivery.

Main message:
The study suggests that liquid nicotine concentration and puff duration are important factors to consider for e-cigarette product regulation. These factors will be important for nicotine-dependent smokers who seek reliable nicotine replacements that alleviate nicotine abstinence symptoms and may also decrease exposure to toxicants overall. however, the study also highlights the need to balance product efficacy with product safety in the FDa's regulation of e-cigarettes, particularly given the potential for e-cigarette devices to promote use among youth and young adults.

Blank MD, Pearson J, Cobb CO, et al. What factors reliably predict electronic cigarette nicotine delivery? Tobacco control. 2020;29(6):644-651. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055193