Clinical trial NCT01431365: Effect of an Acute Bout of Exercise on Smoking Topography
Official title: Does an Acute Bout of Exercise Affect Smoking Topography?
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cancer
Keywords: exercise
topography
cravings
smoking behaviour
Lead sponsor: University of Western Ontario, Canada
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2011-09-09
Enrollment: 110
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Smokers will complete questionnaires and smoking behaviour will be examined. After abstaining from smoking for approximately 18 hours, they will be randomized to a moderate intensity exercise group or passive sitting group. Smoking behaviour (time to first puff) will be assessed following treatment.

Detailed description: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canadians (Canadian Cancer Society, in which cigarette smoking is responsible for 85% of these cases. Smoking topography, a key facet of smoking behaviour, can be subjectively or objectively measured by quantifying puff volume, maximum puff velocity, interpuff interval, puff duration, number of puffs per cigarette, and the time to smoke a single cigarette. Smoking topography can estimate exposure to carcinogenic toxins present in cigarette smoking (Djordjevic, Hoffman, \& Hoffman, 1997). Evidence exists to support that exercise modifies smoking topography (Katomeri \& Taylor 2006; Mikhail, 1983; Reeser, 1983; Zacny \& Stitzer, 1985).

Recently, Faulkner and colleagues (2011; N = 18) were the first to implement a handheld smoking topography device (CReSS Pocket) to measure smoking behaviour in the context of an acute bout of exercise after a temporary period of abstinence. They found that brisk walking influences an individual's smoking topography. In specific, participants assigned to the exercise condition smoked less per puff and took shorter puff durations, compared to the passive sitting condition. Overall, smoking topographical studies require further investigation due to methodological flaws in order to allow for the objective collection of smoking behaviour data and improved external validity in a sufficiently powered study. Furthermore, the role of cravings, withdrawal and affect as potential mediators of topographical changes due to exercise is a novel area of research.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 to 64 years of age
* Smoke 10 cigarettes or more per day
* Not have any medical condition that is contraindicative for exercise
* Not be pregnant or intending on being pregnant over the course of the study
* Be able to read and write in English
* Have a telephone or an email account so that they can be contacted
* Completed the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
* Have Medical Doctor's clearance if they answer "YES" to one or more questions on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
* Have not been engaged in a serious quit attempt in the last six months
* Have been smoking for more than 2 years
* Must not be suffering from an illness (e.g. cold) that would affect their typical smoking behaviour

Exclusion Criteria:

* Contraindication to exercise (e.g., disability, unstable angina)
* On medication for physical and/or mental health reasons that would make compliance with the study protocol difficult or dangerous
* Have substance dependency problems (e.g., alcohol)
* Are pregnant
* Be younger than 18 years of age
* Be 64 years or older prior to completion of the study
* Have been engaged in a serious quit attempt in the last six months
* Have been smoking for less than 2 years
* Suffering from an illness (e.g. cold) that would affect their typical smoking behaviour

Primary outcomes:
measure: Smoking topography
timeFrame: One week
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Withdrawal symptoms
timeFrame: One week
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: Canada
facility: Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory- University of Western Ontario
state: Ontario
Study officials:
affiliation: Western University, Canada
name: Harry Prapavessis, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Aveyard P, West R. Managing smoking cessation. BMJ. 2007 Jul 7;335(7609):37-41. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39252.591806.47. No abstract available.
citation: Ussher MH, Taylor A, Faulkner G. Exercise interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Oct 8;(4):CD002295. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002295.pub3.
citation: Taylor AH, Ussher MH, Faulkner G. The acute effects of exercise on cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms, affect and smoking behaviour: a systematic review. Addiction. 2007 Apr;102(4):534-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01739.x.
citation: Taylor A, Katomeri M. Walking reduces cue-elicited cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and delays ad libitum smoking. Nicotine Tob Res. 2007 Nov;9(11):1183-90. doi: 10.1080/14622200701648896.
citation: Zacny JP, Stitzer ML. Effects of smoke deprivation interval on puff topography. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1985 Jul;38(1):109-15. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1985.143.
citation: Faulkner GE, Arbour-Nicitopoulos KP, & Hsin A. Cutting down one puff at a time: The acute effects of exercise on smoking behavior. Journal of Smoking Cessation (5): 130-135, 2010.