Principal Investigator(s): Matthew Lawrence Springer

Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health – TCORS Grant

ID number: 9-U54HL147127-06

Award Date: 8/29/18

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

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Heated tobacco products (HTPs), which heat a mixture of tobacco and other compounds to temperatures below those at which combustion occurs, deliver an inhalable aerosol containing nicotine and other chemicals. Despite harm reduction claims, the health effects of HTPs are poorly understood. The goal of this project is to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of an HTP (iQOS), including effects on cardiac and peripheral vascular function and cardiac tissue preservation after acute myocardial infarction, relative to tobacco smoke and e-cigarette aerosol. Study aims are: (1) to understand the chemical properties of HTP aerosol and chemical changes during its generation; (2) to evaluate and understand cardiovascular health effects of both acute and repeated exposure to HTP aerosol in rats; and (3) to determine whether acute and chronic exposure to HTP aerosol prior to acute myocardial infarction increases the extent of the resulting cardiac tissue death. To satisfy aim 1, researchers will perform chemical analyses of HTP aerosol and compare results to the chemical composition of unused HTP tobacco and to residual HTP tobacco after use. To satisfy aim 2, researchers will collect functional measurements in rats following HTP aerosol exposure and will evaluate the effects of single acute exposures and repeated exposures over 14 days. To satisfy aim 3, researchers will induce myocardial infarction in rats after a single brief exposure or multiple exposures to HTP aerosol or cigarette smoke and measure the extent of cardiac tissue damage. Results may inform future regulatory activities related to HTPs.

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UCSF TCORS: Health, Behavioral and Economic Research on Tobacco Products: Related Resources

• UCSF TCORS: Integrated Health, Behavioral and Economic Research on Current and Emerging Tobacco Products
• UCSF TCORS Project 1: Impact of Different E-Cigarette Characteristics on Acute Lung Injury
• UCSF TCORS Project 2: Short-Term Cardiovascular Effects of E-Cigarettes: Influence of Device Power and E-Liquid pH and How E-Cigarettes Compare with Heat-Not-Burn Products
• UCSF TCORS Project 4: Current and Emerging Tobacco Products in a Rural Context: Influences of Product Characteristics on Perceptions, Behaviors, and Biologic Exposures
• UCSF TCORS Project 5: Impact of Changing Tobacco Product Use on Healthcare Costs for General and Vulnerable Populations
• The original scientific abstract and other project information can be found on the NIH website.