E-cigarettes may support smokers with high smoking-related risk awareness to stop smoking in the short run: Preliminary results by randomized controlled trial.

Introduction:
This text provides an overview of a randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy and safety of e-cigarettes in achieving smoking cessation among chronic smokers enrolled in a long-term lung cancer screening program. The study focuses on the impact of e-cigarettes on respiratory symptoms and targets a specific group of motivated smokers. The text highlights the importance of understanding the potential benefits and risks of e-cigarettes in a high-risk population.

Key Points:

* The study is a double-blind randomized controlled trial with three arms: nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine-free placebo e-cigarettes, and a control group.
* Participants were chronic smokers enrolled in a long-term lung cancer screening program.
* The trial aimed to assess the impact of a three-month e-cigarette program on reducing smoking-related respiratory symptoms and the success rate of smoking cessation attempts.
* The primary outcome was not measured at the time of this publication; instead, the text focuses on smoking stopping, smoking reduction, and safety issues.
* E-cigarettes filled with nicotine liquids (arm 1) were more effective than placebo and nicotine-free e-cigarettes (arm 2) and the control group (arm 3) for smoking reduction.
* No greater risk of side effects was found in arm 1 compared to the other arms.
* The study illustrates data at 3 months, making it the first randomized controlled trial assessing efficacy and safety in a motivated high-risk population.

Main Message:
This study emphasizes the potential of e-cigarettes as a tool for smoking cessation in a high-risk population, such as chronic smokers enrolled in a lung cancer screening program. The results suggest that e-cigarettes filled with nicotine liquids can be more effective than placebo or nicotine-free e-cigarettes for smoking reduction, with no greater risk of side effects. however, further research is needed to assess long-term efficacy and safety, particularly in high-risk populations.

Masiero M, Lucchiari C, Mazzocco K, et al. E-cigarettes may support smokers with high smoking-related risk awareness to stop smoking in the short run: Preliminary results by randomized controlled trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2019;21(1):119-126. doi:10.1093/ntr/nty047