Objectives To assess socio-demographic and smoking-related correlates of e-cigarette and alternative tobacco products (ATPs) use in a multi-ethnic group of adolescents in Tîrgu Mures, Romania. Methods The cross-sectional study included 1835 high school students from Tirgu Mures, Romania. Socio-demographic variables and data about smoking and e-cigarettes and ATP use were collected using an online questionnaire. Chi-square tests or one-way ANOVA were applied to compare never smokers, non-current smokers, and current smokers. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine the correlates of e-cigarettes and ATP use. Results The most frequently tried non-cigarette nicotine and tobacco products were e-cigarette (38.5 %), cigar (31.4 %) and waterpipe (21.1 %). Ever trying and current use of cigarettes were the most important correlates of e-cigarette and ATPs use. Sex, ethnicity, sensation seeking and perceived peer smoking were correlates of several ATPs use. Conclusions The results of this study may inform the development of tailored tobacco control programs.

IntroductionAlthough web-based, multimedia smoking prevention programs have been tested in several high-income countries, their efficacy in Central and Eastern Europe is unknown. The aim of this trial was to assess the short-term effects of ASPIRA, among Romanian and Hungarian speaking ninth graders in Tirgu Mures, Romania. ASPIRA is the Romanian acronym for the translated and adapted version of ASPIRE, “A Smoking Prevention Interactive Experience,” an evidence-based smoking prevention program originally developed to prevent tobacco use among high school students in the United States.MethodsSixteen high schools in Tirgu Mures, Romania were randomized to receive five weekly sessions of the ASPIRA web-based, multimedia program or to a control condition. Socio-demographic data, psychosocial characteristics, and smoking behavior were collected from students at baseline and at 6 months. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to test the efficacy of the intervention on smoking initiation and current smoking among 1369 students.ResultsNever-smoker students in the intervention arm were 35% less likely to report smoking initiation 6 months after the baseline assessment (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.44–0.97). Reduced smoking initiation was observed most notably among students who were exposed to at least 75% of the ASPIRA program. There was no statistically significant effect of the intervention on current tobacco use (OR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.44–1.46).ConclusionsASPIRA, an adapted version of the evidence-based, multimedia ASPIRE program that was originally developed and tested in the United States may decrease smoking initiation among multi-ethnic adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe.Implications(1). Web-based, multimedia smoking prevention programs may be effective tools to prevent smoking initiation among multi-ethnic adolescent communities in Central and Eastern Europe. (2). The degree of exposure is critical, only high exposure to the multimedia smoking prevention program is associated with reduced smoking initiation.

The high rates of poly-tobacco use and the bidirectionality of tobacco product experimentation demands comprehensive tobacco control and prevention programs that address the increasingly diverse tobacco product market targeting adolescents.

BackgroundAsymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, marker and mediator of endothelial dysfunction. Several studies have demonstrated its value in cardiovascular risk stratification and all-cause mortality prediction. The aim was to determine the reference range of plasma ADMA in healthy adults.Methods and resultsTaking into account the most widely used ADMA measurement methods, only studies using either high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) -with fluorescence or mass spectrometric detection-, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify plasma ADMA concentrations were enrolled. 66 studies were included in the quantitative analysis (24 using ELISA and 42 using HPLC) reporting a total number of 5528 non-diabetic, non-hypertensive, non-obese adults without any medication (3178 men and 2350 women, 41.6 ± 16.9 years old). The reference range of ADMA (in μmol/l with 95% confidence interval in parenthesis) was 0.34 (0.29–0.38)– 1.10 (0.85–1.35) with a mean of 0.71 (0.57–0.85) (n = 4093) measured by HPLC and 0.25 (0.18–0.31)– 0.92 (0.76–1.09) with a mean of 0.57 (0.48–0.66) (n = 1435) by ELISA.ConclusionsNumerous publications suggested that asymmetric dimethylarginine is not only an outstanding tool of disease outcome prediction but also a new potential therapeutic target substance; the reference range provided by this meta-analysis can become of great importance and aid to further investigations. However, developing a standard measurement method would be beneficial to facilitate the clinical usage of ADMA.

Introduction: Web-based smoking prevention programs can be delivered to large groups of adolescents under relatively private conditions at a convenient cost, but their effectiveness is highly dependent on the level of exposure to the educational content. The objective of the study was to identify the predictors of high program exposure among a group of adolescents participating in a web-based smoking prevention cluster randomized trial in Romania. Methods: The study sample included 675 adolescents from Târgu Mureş, Romania. The level of exposure to the ASPIRE web-based smoking prevention program was monitored using data automatically saved on the system server. High program exposure was defined as watching 75% to 100% of the educational content. Associations between adolescents’ sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral variables collected online at the beginning of the intervention and high program exposure were tested using chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: In all, 68.3% of students were highly exposed to the program. There were 4 significant predictors of high program exposure in the multivariable logistic regression model: participant’s father’s lower level of education (odds ratio [OR]: 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-2.44), participant’s brother’s nonsmoking status (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.13-2.72), never trying e-cigarettes (OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.22-2.45), and considering the health of others an important reason not to smoke (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.54-3.93). Conclusions: The analysis identified sociodemographic, psychological, and behavioral factors that may be useful in project management of such intervention to improve program effectiveness.