Reducing Cardiovascular Disease by Combining Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy and Behavioural Counseling

Summary

Research Aims The aims of this research study are: 1. To determine which of the following three smoking cessation medications is most effective in achieving cessation: * Nicotine Patch * Nicotine Patch + gum or inhaler * Varenicline (Champix; 2. To investigate how often participants experience neuropsychiatric symptoms over the course of their cessation attempt and to assess whether: * They occur more often when taking one medication versus another * They occur more often in those with or without psychiatric illnesses. Hypotheses to be Tested The hypotheses to be tested include the following: 1. The CO-confirmed continuous abstinence rate from 5 weeks to 52 weeks following a target quit date will be significantly higher in smokers receiving long-term transdermal NRT in combination with other NRT products or those receiving varenicline compared to those receiving transdermal NRT alone. 2. Some participants will experience neuropsychiatric symptoms during their cessation attempt, and those in the varenicline group will experience a greater incidence of neuropsychiatric symptoms than those in the groups receiving transdermal NRT alone or in combination with other NRT products. Patients with psychiatric illnesses will report higher levels of withdrawal symptoms than those without psychiatric illnesses.

Timeline

Start

2010-06

Primary completion

2014-06

Completion

2014-06

Publications

• Background Aubin HJ, Bobak A, Britton JR, Oncken C, Billing CB Jr, Gong J, Williams KE, Reeves KR. Varenicline versus transdermal nicotine patch for smoking cessation: results from a randomised open-label trial. Thorax. 2008 Aug;63(8):717-24. doi: 10.1136/thx.2007.090647. Epub 2008 Feb 8.
• Background Gonzales D, Rennard SI, Nides M, Oncken C, Azoulay S, Billing CB, Watsky EJ, Gong J, Williams KE, Reeves KR; Varenicline Phase 3 Study Group. Varenicline, an alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, vs sustained-release bupropion and placebo for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2006 Jul 5;296(1):47-55. doi: 10.1001/jama.296.1.47.
• Background Hughes JR, Keely J, Naud S. Shape of the relapse curve and long-term abstinence among untreated smokers. Addiction. 2004 Jan;99(1):29-38. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00540.x.
• Background Clinical Practice Guideline Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence 2008 Update Panel, Liaisons, and Staff. A clinical practice guideline for treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. A U.S. Public Health Service report. Am J Prev Med. 2008 Aug;35(2):158-76. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.04.009.
• Background Stapleton JA, Watson L, Spirling LI, Smith R, Milbrandt A, Ratcliffe M, Sutherland G. Varenicline in the routine treatment of tobacco dependence: a pre-post comparison with nicotine replacement therapy and an evaluation in those with mental illness. Addiction. 2008 Jan;103(1):146-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02083.x. Epub 2007 Nov 19.
• Background Lasser K, Boyd JW, Woolhandler S, Himmelstein DU, McCormick D, Bor DH. Smoking and mental illness: A population-based prevalence study. JAMA. 2000 Nov 22-29;284(20):2606-10. doi: 10.1001/jama.284.20.2606.
• Background Warner KE, Burns DM. Hardening and the hard-core smoker: concepts, evidence, and implications. Nicotine Tob Res. 2003 Feb;5(1):37-48. doi: 10.1080/1462220021000060428.
• Background Grant BF, Hasin DS, Chou SP, Stinson FS, Dawson DA. Nicotine dependence and psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Nov;61(11):1107-15. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.61.11.1107.
• Background Slovinec D'Angelo ME, Reid RD, Hotz S, Irvine J, Segal RJ, Blanchard CM, Pipe A. Is stress management training a useful addition to physician advice and nicotine replacement therapy during smoking cessation in women? Results of a randomized trial. Am J Health Promot. 2005 Nov-Dec;20(2):127-34. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-20.2.127.
• Theodoulou A, Chepkin SC, Ye W, Fanshawe TR, Bullen C, Hartmann-Boyce J, Livingstone-Banks J, Hajizadeh A, Lindson N. Different doses, durations and modes of delivery of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 Jun 19;6(6):CD013308. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013308.pub2.
• Tulloch HE, Pipe AL, Els C, Clyde MJ, Reid RD. Flexible, dual-form nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline in comparison with nicotine patch for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Med. 2016 Jun 7;14:80. doi: 10.1186/s12916-016-0626-2.
• Tulloch HE, Pipe AL, Clyde MJ, Reid RD, Els C. The Quit Experience and Concerns of Smokers With Psychiatric Illness. Am J Prev Med. 2016 Jun;50(6):709-718. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.11.006. Epub 2015 Dec 17.

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