PulmENDS: The ESTxENDS Trial: Pulmonary Function Substudy

Sponsor
University of Bern (Other)
Overall Status
Active, not recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT03938298
Collaborator
Swiss National Science Foundation (Other), Bernese Lung League (Other), Clinical Trial Unit Grant of the Inselspital Bern (Other)
150
2
2
35.7
75
2.1

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in Switzerland and still more than a quarter of the Swiss population smokes cigarettes. Recently, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; also called vaporizer, e-cigarette or electronic cigarette) have become popular with smokers who want to stop smoking or reduce their exposure to inhaled chemicals since ENDS use appears to be safer than tobacco smoking. The inhaled ENDS aerosol appears safe in laboratory conditions, its long-term effects on pulmonary function remains unknown. This study will therefore investigate the impact of ENDS on lung function in smokers, who attempt to quit using ENDS compared with smokers, receiving only smoking cessation counseling with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

Multiple breath washout (MBW) is an established technique for assessment of peripheral airway function in pediatrics and its use is emerging in adult medicine, as it offers a better sensitivity to assess small airway disease before large airway involvement can be detected using conventional pulmonary function tests (PFT - spirometry, body plethysmography and diffusing capacity test). Preliminary evidence from limited studies suggest MBW parameters (LCI, Scond, Sacin) can be impaired in smokers with normal lung function and improve after smoking abstinence.

Primary objective of this substudy is to assess changes in LCI from baseline to 6 months post target quit date (TQD) in cigarette smokers randomized to the intervention group compared to the control group.

For this trial, cigarette smokers motivated to quit smoking cigarettes will be included. Participants in the intervention group will receive an ENDS and nicotine-containing e-liquids, which they will be allowed to use ad libitum. Additionally, they will receive standard of care, i.e. smoking cessation counseling and encouragement to use NRT. Smoking cessation counseling will be provided in person at the first clinical visit and then over the phone at the target quit date and again at week 1, 2, 4 and 8 after the target quit date. Participants in the control group will receive only standard of care. All participants will be followed over a 6-month period. After 6 months, participants will be asked to come to a final clinical visit.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Other: ENDS (vaporizer/e-cig) and smoking cessation counseling
  • Other: Smoking cessation counseling
N/A

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Anticipated Enrollment :
150 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Masking Description:
Statisticians and laboratory personnel will be blinded to group allocation
Primary Purpose:
Prevention
Official Title:
Efficacy, Safety and Toxicology of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems as an Aid for Smoking Cessation (ESTxENDS): Pulmonary Function Substudy (PulmENDS)
Actual Study Start Date :
Apr 10, 2019
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Apr 1, 2022
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
Apr 1, 2022

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Intervention group

Other: ENDS (vaporizer/e-cig) and smoking cessation counseling
Participants in the intervention group will receive an ENDS and nicotine-containing e-liquids, which they will be allowed to use ad libitum. Additionally, they will receive standards of care, i.e. smoking cessation counseling and encouragement to use NRT. Smoking cessation counseling will be provided in person at the first clinical visit and then over the phone at the target quit date and again at week 1, 2, 4 and 8 after the target quit date. All participants will be followed over a 6-month period. After 6 months, participants will be asked to come to a final clinical visit. PFT and MBW will be performed at baseline and after the 6 months follow-up period in all participants of the substudy.

Active Comparator: Control group

Other: Smoking cessation counseling
Participants in the control group will receive standard of care only, i.e. i.e. smoking cessation counseling and encouragement to use NRT. Smoking cessation counseling will be provided in person at the first clinical visit and then over the phone at the target quit date and again at week 1, 2, 4 and 8 after the target quit date. All participants will be followed over a 6-month period. After 6 months, participants will be asked to come to a final clinical visit. PFT and MBW will be performed at baseline and after the 6 months follow-up period in all participants of the substudy.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. Changes in Lung Clearance Index (LCI) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by multiple breath washout (MBW) of a tracer gas (N2). LCI is defined as the cumulative expired volume/functional residual capacity (CEV/FRC) at 5% and 2.5% tracer gas concentration in the exhaled breath. An LCI with a z-score < + 1.645 (upper limit of normal according to Singer F et al, PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e36083) is considered normal.

Secondary Outcome Measures

  1. Lung Clearance Index (LCI) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by multiple breath washout (MBW) of a tracer gas (N2). LCI is defined as the cumulative expired volume/functional residual capacity (CEV/FRC) at 5% and 2.5% tracer gas concentration in the exhaled breath. An LCI with a z-score < + 1.645 (upper limit of normal according to Singer F et al, PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e36083) is considered normal.

  2. Changes in Scond and Sacin [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by multiple breath washout (MBW). MBW assesses ventilation of the peripheral airways.

  3. Scond and Sacin [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by multiple breath washout (MBW). MBW assesses ventilation of the peripheral airways.

  4. Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by spirometry. Spirometry is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring airflow.

  5. Changes in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by spirometry. Spirometry is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring airflow.

  6. Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second/Functional Vital Capacity Ratio (FEV1/FVC) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by spirometry. Spirometry is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring airflow.

  7. Changes in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second/Functional Vital Capacity Ratio (FEV1/FVC) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by spirometry. Spirometry is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring airflow.

  8. Total Lung Capacity (TLC) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  9. Changes in Total Lung Capacity (TLC) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  10. Residual Volume (RV) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  11. Changes in Residual Volume (RV) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  12. Residual Volume to Total Lung Capacity (RV/TLC) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  13. Changes in Residual Volume to Total Lung Capacity (RV/TLC) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by body plethysmography. Body plethysmography is a conventional pulmonary function test measuring lung volumes.

  14. Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by diffusing capacity test.

  15. Changes in Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by diffusing capacity test.

  16. Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) [6 months post quit date]

    Measured by the levels of nitric oxide in the exhaled breath.

  17. Changes in Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) [Change from baseline to 6 months post quit date]

    Measured by the levels of nitric oxide in the exhaled breath.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years and Older
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Yes
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Informed Consent as documented by signature

  • Persons aged 18 or older

  • Currently smoking 5 or more cigarettes a day for at least 12 months

  • Willing to try to quit smoking within the next 3 months

  • Persons providing a valid phone number, a valid email address and/or a valid postal address.

Exclusion Criteria:
  • Known hypersensitivity or allergy to contents of the e-liquid

  • Participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding the baseline visit and during the present study where interactions are to be expected

  • Women who are pregnant or breast feeding

  • Intention to become pregnant during the course of the scheduled study intervention, i.e. within the first 6-months of the study

  • Persons having used ENDS or tobacco heating systems regularly in the 3 months preceding the baseline visit

  • Persons having used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other medications with demonstrated efficacy as an aid for smoking cessation such as varenicline or bupropion within the 3 months preceding the baseline visit

  • Persons who cannot attend the 6-month follow-up visit for any reason

  • Cannot understand instructions delivered in person or by phone, or otherwise unable to participate in study procedures

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Site City State Country Postal Code
1 University Clinic for General Internal Medicine, Bern University Hospital Bern Switzerland 3010
2 Department of Pneumology Bern Switzerland

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • University of Bern
  • Swiss National Science Foundation
  • Bernese Lung League
  • Clinical Trial Unit Grant of the Inselspital Bern

Investigators

  • Study Director: Reto Auer, Prof.Dr.med, Berner Institut für Hausarztmedizin; Universität Bern
  • Principal Investigator: Manuela Funke-Chambour, PD Dr. med., Inselspital Universität Bern

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

Responsible Party:
University of Bern
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT03938298
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • 2017-02332h
First Posted:
May 6, 2019
Last Update Posted:
Feb 14, 2022
Last Verified:
Feb 1, 2022
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
No
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Feb 14, 2022