Duration of transdermal nicotine therapy

January 01, 0001

Duration of transdermal nicotine therapy

These US authors assessed whether extended-duration transdermal nicotine therapy increases abstinence from tobacco more than standard-duration therapy in 568 adult smokers in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial Participants and all research personnel except the database manager were blinded to randomization. Participants were randomly assigned to standard therapy (Nicoderm CQ, 21 mg, for 8 weeks and placebo for 16 weeks) or extended therapy (Nicoderm CQ, 21 mg, for 24 weeks).

They found: "At week 24, extended therapy produced higher rates of point-prevalence abstinence (31.6% vs. 20.3%, odds ratio 1.81), prolonged abstinence (41.5% vs. 26.9%, odds ratio 1.97), and continuous abstinence (19.2% vs. 12.6%, odds ratio 1.64) versus standard therapy. Extended therapy reduced the risk for lapse (hazard ratio 0.77) and increased the chances of recovery from lapses (hazard ratio 1.47). Time to relapse was slower with extended versus standard therapy (hazard ratio 0.50). At week 52, extended therapy produced higher quit rates for prolonged abstinence only. No differences in side effects and adverse events between groups were found at the extended-treatment assessment."

The authors concluded: "Transdermal nicotine for 24 weeks increased biochemically confirmed point-prevalence abstinence and continuous abstinence at week 24, reduced the risk for smoking lapses, and increased the likelihood of recovery to abstinence after a lapse compared with 8 weeks of transdermal nicotine therapy."

This approach should be compared with a tapering dose regimen.


For the full abstract, click here.

Ann Intern Med 152(3):144-151, 2 February 2010
© 2010 to the American College of Physicians
Effectiveness of Extended-Duration Transdermal Nicotine Therapy-A Randomized Trial. Robert A. Schnoll, Freda Patterson, E. Paul Wileyto, et al. Correspondence to Dr. Schnoll: [email protected]

Category: Z. Social Problems. Keywords: smoking, cessation, nicotine, transdermal, duration of treatment, randomized controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 23 February 2010

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