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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jul 10.
Published in final edited form as: Tob Control. 2018 Oct 30;29(1):15–23. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054502

Table 2.

Descriptive statistics and paired statistical comparisons for human topography and biomarker outcome measures from participants (n=34 unless specified) smoking the RWP in three configurations: control, bubble diffuser and electric

Mean±SD P values for statistical comparison*
Control Bubble diffuser Electric Bubble diffuser versus control Electric versus control
Topography measures
 Number of puffs 70.9±37.8 73.4±37.2 92.5±39.8 ns P<0.01
 Puff volume (L) 0.65±0.27 0.73±0.37 0.90±0.43 ns P<0.0001
 Puff duration (s) 4.4±2.1 4.3±2.3 5.1±2.2 ns P<0.10
 Puff interval (s) 26.2±14.4 28.2±17.3 22.6±16.1 ns ns
 Puff peak flow (L/min) 15.8±4.8 17.1±5.4 17.7±5.2 ns P<0.01
 Puff average flow (L/min) 10.1±3.8 11.5±4.6 11.9±4.4 P<0.05 P<0.001
 Total puff volume (L) 41.7±25.8 48.7±35.8 82.6±63.8 ns P<0.0001
 Duration of smoking (min) 31.6±14.5 32.5±12.1 38.5±26 ns ns
Exposure measures
 Environmental CO (mg/session) 980.5±368.5 1012±274.8 1.7±3.1 (n=25) ns P<0.0001
 Exhaled CO boost (ppmv) 51.7±19.9 (n=33) 56.5±36.1 (n=33) 0.1±1.3 ns P<0.0001
 Exhaled benzene boost (ppmv) 8.5±5.4 (n=31)§ 8.4±4.9 (n=32)§ −0.1±0.3 ns P<0.0001
 Plasma nicotine (ng/mL) 12.2±12.7 13.7±13.6 7.5±6.7 ns P<0.05
 Heart rate boost (bpm) 13.9±10.6 (n=29) 15.8±11.5 (n=33) 9.4±9.7 (n=33) ns P<0.10
 Maximum heart rate (bpm) 112±15.2 (n=29) 113±13.1 (n=33) 112±10.9 (n=33) ns P<0.05
Tobacco and charcoal consumption
 Tobacco consumed (g) 2.1±0.7 (n=33)** 2.2±0.8 (n=34) 2.0±0.8 (n=33)** ns ns
 Tobacco consumed (%) 21.0±7.1 (n=33)** 22.2±8.0 (n=34) 20.4±8.2 (n=33)** ns ns
 Charcoal consumed (g) 5.8±1.1 (n=34) 6.0±0.9 (n=33)*** - ns ns
 Charcoal consumed (%) 55.5±11.0 (n=34) 57.0±10.5 (n=33)*** - ns ns

Both control and bubble diffuser use charcoal heating of the tobacco, whereas electric uses electric heating.

*

Statistical comparisons were made between control and each configuration. Bolded entry indicates significant difference from control at a p value of 0.10 or smaller. The p values were adjusted for multiple testing.

The CO monitor was inoperable during nine electric smoking sessions.

Exhaled CO not collected for one control and one bubble diffuser session.

§

Exhaled benzene not collected for three control and two bubble diffuser sessions.

Heart rate data collection file was incomplete for five controls, one bubble diffuser and one electric session.

**

Final tobacco weight not recorded for one control and one electric session.

***

Final charcoal weight not recorded for one bubble diffuser session.

bpm, beats per minute; CO, carbon monoxide; n, sample size; ns, not significant; ppmv, parts per million by volume.