Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27676583›Full record

Trial reportDrug and alcohol dependence2016

Effects of sweet flavorings and nicotine on the appeal and sensory properties of e-cigarettes among young adult vapers: Application of a novel methodology.

Nicholas I Goldenson, Matthew G Kirkpatrick, Jessica L Barrington-Trimis, Raina D Pang, Julia F McBeth, Mary Ann Pentz, Jonathan M Samet, Adam M Leventhal

Abstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 90 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
90citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
8.0field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

90 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 119 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  4. An E-Liquid Flavor Wheel: A Shared Vocabulary Based on Systematically Reviewing E-Liquid Flavor Classifications in Literature.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2019
    Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Appeal and Sensory Characteristics of Oral Nicotine Products in Young Adults Who Vape E-Cigarettes.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2026
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  10. Effects of Nicotine Content and Preferred Flavor on Subjective Responses to E-cigarettes: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled Laboratory Study.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2024
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  15. The Importance of Conditioned Stimuli in Cigarette and E-Cigarette Craving Reduction by E-Cigarettes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2017
    Trial
  16. Article
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30 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Nicholas I GoldensonDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Matthew G KirkpatrickDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Jessica L Barrington-TrimisDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Raina D PangDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Julia F McBethDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Mary Ann PentzDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Jonathan M SametDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Adam M LeventhalDepartment of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: adam.leventhal@usc.edu.
University of Southern California · US

Funding

USC Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) for Vulnerable PopulationsP50CA180905 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI PENTZ, MARY ANN, SAMET, JONATHAN M · 2013 to 2017
$20.1M
NCI NIH HHS P50 CA180905
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionProduct characteristics that impact e-cigarette appeal by altering the sensory experience of vaping need to be identified to formulate evidence-based regulatory policies. While products that contain sweet flavorings and produce a "throat hit" (i.e., desirable airway irritation putatively caused by nicotine) are anecdotally cited as desirable reasons for vaping among young adults, experimental evidence of their impact on user appeal is lacking. This experiment applied a novel laboratory protocol to assess whether: (1) sweet flavorings and nicotine affect e-cigarette appeal; (2) sweet flavorings increase perceived sweetness; (3) nicotine increases throat hit; and (4) perceived sweetness and throat hit are associated with appeal.

methodsYoung adult vapers (N=20; age 19-34) self-administered 20 standardized doses of aerosolized e-cigarette solutions varied according to a 3 flavor (sweet [e.g., cotton candy] vs. non-sweet [e.g., tobacco-flavored] vs. flavorless)×2 nicotine (6mg/mL nicotine vs. 0mg/mL [placebo]) double-blind, cross-over design. Participants rated appeal (liking, willingness to use again and perceived monetary value), perceived sweetness and throat hit strength after each administration.

resultsSweet-flavored (vs. non-sweet and flavorless) solutions produced greater appeal and perceived sweetness ratings. Nicotine produced greater throat hit ratings than placebo, but did not significantly increase appeal nor interact with flavor effects on appeal. Controlling for flavor and nicotine, perceived sweetness was positively associated with appeal ratings; throat hit was not positively associated with appeal.

conclusionsFurther identification of compounds in e-cigarette solutions that enhance sensory perceptions of sweetness, appeal, and utilization of e-cigarettes are warranted to inform evidence-based regulatory policies.

Indexed as

Flavoring AgentsVapingAdultCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodElectronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsFemaleHumansMaleMultilevel AnalysisNicotineTobacco ProductsYoung AdultFlavoring AgentsNicotineAppeale-CigaretteFlavoringNicotineTobacco regulatory science

Identifiers

PMID27676583
PMCPMC5086287
OpenAlexW2521692608

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.