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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05278065

E-cigarettes for Harm Reduction in Adults With Asthma

Smoking is the main cause of preventable disease and death in the US and impacts respiratory illnesses including COPD and asthma. However, little is known about the effects on smoking and lung health of substituting cigarettes with ENDS in adults with asthma. This project aims to test whether providing ENDS to adults with asthma will lead to substitution of smoking for ENDS, reduced dependence, and improved lung function so such knowledge can inform interventions to reduce the public health burden of tobacco.

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Key information

Conditions

Smoking Asthma Behavior Bronchial Diseases Cigarette Smoking Electronic Cigarette Use Harm Reduction Hypersensitivity Hypersensitivity, Immediate Immune System Diseases Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Obstructive Respiratory Hypersensitivity Respiratory Tract Diseases Tobacco Smoking Tobacco Use Vaping

Age range

21 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies

Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States

About this study

This study will use an unequally allocated between-subjects (N=30) randomized, controlled design to investigate the influence of complimentary electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) provision on combustible cigarette and ENDS use, cigarette dependence, pulmonary function, clinical indicators and biomarkers, and substitution of smoking for ENDS use over 16 weeks. Participants will be adults from the local community with persistent asthma symptoms who are regular combustible cigarette smokers and do not also regularly use ENDS. The study will recruit 30 non-treatment seeking participants using flyers, advertisements, a website triaging visitors to the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, and through targeted recruitment at community immunology clinic partners at Rhode Island Hospital as facilitated by mentor McQuaid. Participants meeting eligibility criteria will be assessed at baseline and then randomized to one of two study conditions: a complimentary ENDS provision condition or assessment-only control. Participants will return for eight weekly visits to complete follow-up assessments; participants in the experimental condition will be provided with additional e-liquid cartridges for their ENDS devices at all follow-up visits. Tobacco use behaviors (cigarette and ENDS) and lung function will be assessed at each visits, with additional collection of biological samples and assessments of nicotine dependence, self-efficacy for cessation, and mood at week eight. Provision of complimentary ENDS will discontinue eight weeks after enrollment. Participants will complete a remote follow-up assessment sixteen weeks after enrollment. This project, and all projects at the Center for Addiction and Disease Risk Exacerbation (CADRE) are supported by the Clinical Laboratory Core (CLC) which will oversee the collection and storage of data and biological samples.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female (50%), 21 to 65 (inclusive) years of age;
  • Persistent asthma symptoms (i.e., episodic symptoms of airflow obstruction / airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) as documented in review of medical history);
  • Currently prescribed SABA medication;
  • Past-year smoking of ≥5 cigarettes/day;
  • Exhaled CO ≥ 6 ppm at baseline;
  • Zero breath alcohol during informed consent for participation;
  • English-speaking at an 8th grade level.

Exclusion criteria

  • Intention to quit smoking during the next 30 days;
  • Current engagement in any smoking cessation treatment;
  • Current self-identification as regular ENDS user or using ENDS > 2 days / week;
  • Medical contraindication to nicotine;
  • Pregnancy (due to toxicity of nicotine and tobacco products);
  • Current alcohol dependence (AUDIT > 15)
  • Urine-screened or past-month self-reported use of illicit substances (amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, opioids, benzodiazepines);
  • Current psychosis, mania, or suicidal ideation;

Treatment and study plan

Nicotine

Other

Participants will be provided with electronic cigarettes and 5% nicotine e-liquid cartridges for 8 weeks and encouraged at weekly assessments to use the electronic cigarette any time they would normally smoke. Participants will be able to choose commercially available e-liquid flavors (tobacco) at each weekly assessment.

Other names: electronic cigarette

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Cigarettes Per Day From Baseline to Week 8 and Week 16

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8, Week 16

    Past week average cigarettes per day assessed using timeline follow-back (TLFB).

  2. Change in Cigarette Dependence From Baseline to Week 8

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using the Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence (FTCD). Range: 0-10; higher scores = more dependent.

  3. Change in Cigarette Dependence Motives From Baseline to Week 8

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using the Wisconsin Inventory for Smoking Dependence Motives - Brief (Brief-WISDM).

    The value of this outcome variable is the TOTAL SCORE (possible range: 1-7). The TOTAL SCORE is computed as a MEAN of all subscale scores (possible range: 1-7). Each subscale score is the mean of the relevant item scores (possible range: 1-7). Only the TOTAL SCORE is being investigated as an outcome measure.

    HIGHER SCORES = STRONGER dependence motive.

  4. Change in Asthma Symptoms From Baseline to Week 8

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using the Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI). Range: 0-1 continuous; higher scores = fewer or lighter symptoms (0 = worst possible symptoms, 1 = no symptoms).

  5. Change in Pulmonary Functioning From Baseline to Week 8 (Forced Expiratory Volume [FEV])

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using spirometry and indexed in liters.

  6. Change in Pulmonary Functioning From Baseline to Week 8 (Forced Vital Capacity [FVC])

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using spirometry and indexed in liters.

  7. Change in Pulmonary Functioning From Baseline to Week 8 (Forced Expiratory Flow 25%-75% [FEF25-75])

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using spirometry and indexed as liters per section (L/s).

  8. Change in Pulmonary Functioning From Baseline to Week 8 (Peak Expiratory Flow [PEF])

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Assessed using spirometry and indexed in liters per minute (L/min).

  9. Change in Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) From Baseline to Week 8

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 8

    Level of exhaled FENO assessed with NIOX breath sensor in parts per billion (PPB).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Brown University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Registry information

Official study title

Complimentary Electronic Cigarettes for Harm Reduction Among Adult Smokers With Asthma

Acronym: SWAP

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Mar 14, 2022
Registry last updated
Nov 18, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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