The application of Commercially available Mobile Cigarette Topography Devices for E-cigarette Vaping Behavior Measurements

Introduction:
This text discusses a study that compares the accuracy and limitations of two commercially available mobile topography devices, the CReSS and SPa-M, in measuring electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) puffing topography. The study used a set of laboratory tests to assess the accuracy and limitation range of the main parameters (PV and PD) for both devices and analyzed limited data from an ongoing study of established e-cigarette users to provide an understanding of the performance of the CReSS and SPa-M while recording real-world vaping behaviors.

Key Points:

* The study found that both devices can provide accurate measurements under certain puff parameter ranges but have limitations and anomalies that need to be taken into account during analysis and interpretation of real-world data.
* The CReSS consistently underestimated puff duration at higher flow rates, while the SPa-M provided more accurate measurements under a wider range of puffing parameters than the CReSS.
* The CReSS showed significant error in PV and PD for a 10 mL square-shaped puff with 2 s duration due to its lower minimum PFR detection threshold compared to the SPa-M.
* The study also found that both devices recorded topography data accurately as expected, but during analysis, topography recording anomalies and limitation issues were observed for both devices.
* The CReSS has a 5 s PD limit, which may impact the reported data if puffs last longer than 5 s, and a data recording limit of approximately 2010-2020 datapoints, after which it stops reporting individual datapoints but still reports a summary of the unrecorded data.
* The SPa-M did not have a PD limit, but it had a multi-peak puff anomaly, which might be caused by particular vaping behavior or e-cigarette properties affecting the topography recordings.
* Visible liquid deposits were noticed on the CReSS pressure transducer orifices and inside the SPa-M tubes that connect the e-cigarette holder with the topography device, which could affect accuracy.

Main Message:
The main message of the text is that while the CReSS and SPa-M topography devices can be used for real-world e-cigarette topography measurements, researchers need to be aware of their limitations and anomalies. Both devices can provide accurate measurements only under certain puff parameter ranges, and summary data reported by both devices require thorough analysis of the raw data to avoid misleading data interpretation. The differing measurement ranges of the two devices and puff recording limitations and anomalies should be taken into account during analysis and interpretation of real-world data.

Mikheev, Vladimir B, Stephanie S Buehler, Marielle C Brinkman, Courtney a Granville, Timothy E Lane, alexander Ivanov, Kandice M Cross, and Pamela I Clark. “The application of Commercially available Mobile Cigarette Topography Devices for E-Cigarette Vaping Behavior Measurements.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 22, no. 5 (april 21, 2020): 681–88. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/nty190.