Clinical Research Directory

Impact of Sweeteners on the Addictive Threshold of Nicotine

To determine if sucralose, an artificial sweetener, modulates nicotine threshold doses for discrimination, subjective-rewarding effects, and reinforcement in smokers with varying levels of dependence.

Salivary TNF-α, FoxO-1, and SIRT-1 Levels in Periodontitis and Smoking

This study examines whether smoking and gum disease (periodontitis) are linked to changes in three biological markers found in saliva: TNF-α, FoxO-1, and SIRT-1. These markers are involved in inflammation and the body's response to stress. Eighty adults took part in the study, divided into four groups: healthy non-smokers, non-smokers with Stage III periodontitis (an advanced form of gum disease), healthy smokers, and smokers with Stage III periodontitis. Each participant had a dental examination and provided a saliva sample, which was analyzed in the laboratory to measure the levels of these three markers. The goal of the study is to better understand how smoking and gum disease together affect the body's inflammatory and stress-response pathways, which may help guide future approaches to prevention and treatment.

A Study to Assess Nicotine Uptake From Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Products

This will be a randomized, open-label, 8-way crossover, single-site study designed to evaluate elements of abuse liability (AL), including subjective effects and physiological measures (pharmacodynamics \[PD\]), and plasma nicotine uptake (pharmacokinetics \[PK\]) during and following ad libitum use of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) investigational products (IPs). The study will be conducted in a confinement setting among generally healthy adult smokers of combustible cigarettes and dual users of cigarettes and ENDS products.

Empowering Patients' Lung Cancer Screening Uptake (Empower LCS/Call+)

Lung cancer screening (LCS) with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can reduce the risk of dying from lung cancer, but many people who are eligible for screening do not receive it. The purpose of the Empower LCS/Call+ study is to evaluate new strategies to improve lung cancer screening among adults who are eligible for screening based on current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines. This pilot randomized controlled trial will enroll approximately 80 participants from UC Irvine Health and Emory Healthcare. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either enhanced usual care or the Empower LCS/Call+ intervention. The intervention includes educational materials, reminders for patients and primary care providers, and information about financial and community resources when appropriate. Participants who do not complete lung cancer screening after the initial intervention may receive additional telephone-based navigation through the Call+ program to help identify and address barriers to screening and help with scheduling. Participants will complete a baseline survey and follow-up surveys at 4 and 8 months, and researchers will review electronic health record information to determine whether lung cancer screening was discussed, ordered, and completed. Some participants will also be invited to complete a one-time interview about their experiences with the study. The results of this study will help determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the Empower LCS/Call+ intervention and will inform future efforts to improve equitable access to lung cancer screening.

Piloting Novel Interventional Strategies to Improve Nicotine Pouches as a Substitute for Smoking

Some people who smoke cigarettes try to switch to oral nicotine pouches but are not able to fully stop smoking. This study tests two new strategies for people who previously tried to switch using nicotine pouches. Participants who were unable to fully switch will either be asked to increase the nicotine strength of their pouches or to use a nicotine patch along with pouches. The goal of the study is to see whether these strategies are feasible, acceptable, and helpful, and to inform the design of larger future studies.

Smoking, Pain Threshold, and Hand Strength in Women

This study aims to investigate the effects of smoking on pain threshold, cervical position sense, and grip strength in women. Measurements will include pressure pain threshold (PPT), cervical position sense (CPS), grip strength, and pinch strength.

Cigarette Filter Study

The overall purpose of this study is to determine the effects of using charcoal-filtered cigarettes on product perceptions, smoking behaviors, and biomarkers of exposure to tobacco-related toxicants. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do perceptions of cigarettes differ by their filter? Do people smoke charcoal-filtered cigarettes differently than cigarettes with conventional filters, and does this change their exposure to cigarette harms? Study participants will complete a 5-week laboratory-based, open-label, parallel-design randomized trial. After a baseline period of smoking their preferred brand, participants will smoke charcoal-filtered or non-charcoal-filtered cigarettes for 4 weeks while completing weekly sessions to assess primary outcomes. During weekly sessions, they will smoke two cigarettes in our laboratory, provide urine and carbon monoxide samples, and complete questionnaires.

Measuring Communal Coping in Dual-smoking Couples Making a Quit Attempt

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and quitting is especially difficult for couples who both smoke. When both partners smoke, they are less likely to quit successfully and more likely to relapse compared to people whose partner does not smoke. Research suggests that the way romantic partners interact and support each other during a quit attempt can make a real difference - but researchers do not yet know enough about what kinds of support actually help. This study examines a concept called "communal coping," which refers to when partners treat a shared health challenge - like quitting smoking - as something they are facing together as a team rather than as separate individuals. Researchers believe that couples who approach quitting this way may have better outcomes. To study this, researchers will ask both members of dual-smoking couples to complete brief daily surveys over two weeks while making a quit attempt. These surveys will track how partners support (or discourage) each other's quitting efforts on a day-to-day basis, along with cigarette use, cravings, and stress. This will help researchers understand which relationship patterns are most helpful for quitting, and identify specific targets for future couples-based smoking cessation programs.

Evaluation of the Effect of Smoking on Pyroptosis in Periodontal Pathogenesis

This study investigates the impact of smoking on pyroptosis and inflammatory signaling pathways in systemically healthy individuals with various periodontal conditions. The research compares smokers and non-smokers across three clinical categories, resulting in six study groups: Healthy Control, Gingivitis, and Periodontitis. The study specifically evaluates the levels of IL-1beta, IL-18, and NLRP3 through ELISA, and the gene expression of TLR1, TLR4, and TLR6 through RT-PCR, to understand how cigarette smoke modulates innate immune responses in the absence of other systemic diseases.

Effect of Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy on Salivary Biomarkers in Smokers and Non-Smokers With Periodontitis

This study evaluates the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on salivary biomarkers (Dkk-1, Sclerostin, and PLAP-1) and clinical periodontal parameters in patients with periodontitis. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that destroys tooth-supporting tissues. Smoking is a significant risk factor that worsens periodontal destruction and reduces the effectiveness of standard therapies. * The trial is a non-randomized comparative clinical study. * It includes 44 adult patients diagnosed with Stage II and III periodontitis. * The participants are divided into two equal groups: 22 current smokers and 22 non-smokers. * Participants will undergo a baseline examination, followed by standardized non-surgical periodontal therapy consisting of scaling and root planing. * A follow-up visit will be conducted six weeks post-therapy to repeat clinical measurements and saliva collection. * The primary objective is to evaluate changes in salivary biomarker levels and clinical parameters (Plaque Index, Gingival Index, bleeding on probing, Probing Pocket Depth, Clinical Attachment Level) after treatment.

Effectiveness of Brief Smoking Cessation Counselling in Pre-Anaesthesia Assessment Clinic

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a brief, nurse-delivered smoking cessation intervention can increase pre-operative smoking abstinence and improve perioperative outcomes among adult elective surgical patients who are current smokers. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does a perioperative nurse-delivered AWARD brief counselling intervention with active referral and a tailored perioperative smoking cessation booklet increase the 7-day point prevalence abstinence rate on the day of surgery, biochemically validated by exhaled carbon monoxide and salivary cotinine? Is this intervention feasible and acceptable in the pre-anaesthetic assessment clinic in terms of recruitment, retention, intervention fidelity, and patient compliance? Researchers will compare patients receiving the nurse-led AWARD brief counselling plus active referral and tailored perioperative booklet to patients receiving usual pre-anaesthetic care without structured smoking cessation counselling, to see if the intervention leads to higher pre-operative abstinence and signals of reduced post-operative complications. Participants will: Attend the pre-anaesthetic assessment clinic where eligibility and baseline data (e.g., smoking behavior, readiness to quit, sociodemographic information) are collected and exhaled carbon monoxide is measured. Be randomly assigned to either receive brief AWARD-model counselling with active referral and a tailored perioperative smoking cessation booklet from a trained perioperative nurse, or to continue with usual pre-anaesthetic care. Have their smoking status reassessed on the day of surgery (including repeat CO and salivary cotinine testing) and at 1-month follow-up, along with collection of post-operative complication data and patient satisfaction with the smoking cessation support.