Nicotine replacement therapy ‘gift cards’ for hospital inpatients who smoke: a prospective before-and-after controlled pilot evaluation

IntroductionA common barrier identified by individuals trying to quit smoking is the cost of cessation pharmacotherapies. The purpose of this evaluation was to: (1) Assess the feasibility of offering nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) ‘gift cards’ to hospitalised smokers for use posthospitalisation; and, (2) Estimate the effect of providing NRT gift cards on 6-month smoking abstinence.MethodsA prospective, quasi-experimental, before-and-after controlled cohort design with random sampling was used to compare patients who had received the Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation (OMSC) intervention (‘control’) with patients who received the OMSC plus a $C300 Quit Card (‘QCI’), which they could use to purchase any brand or form of NRT from any Canadian pharmacy.Results750 Quit Cards were distributed to the three participating hospitals of which 707 (94.3%) were distributed to patients. Of the cards received by patients, 532 (75.2%) were used to purchase NRT. A total of 272 participants completed evaluation surveys (148 control; 124 QCI).Point prevalence abstinence rates adjusted for misreporting among survey responders were 15.3% higher in the QCI group, compared with controls (44.4% vs 29.1%; OR 1.95, 1.18–3.21; p=0.009). Satisfaction was high among participants in both groups, and among staff delivering the QCI. QCI participants rated the intervention as high in terms of motivation, ease of use and helpfulness.ConclusionsThe NRT gift card appears to be a feasible and effective smoking cessation tool that removes a primary barrier to the use of evidence-based smoking cessation pharmacotherapies, while motivating both patients and health providers.

Smoking Cessation Rate and Its Predictors among Heavy Smokers in a Smoking-Free Hospital in Taiwan

Smoking poses critical risks for heart disease and cancers. Heavy smokers, defined as smoking more than 30 pack-year, are the most important target for smoking cessation. This study aimed to obtain the cessation rate and its predictors among heavy smokers. We collected data from heavy smokers who visited a smoking-free hospital in Taiwan during 2017. All patients were prescribed either varenicline or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation, and their smoking status was followed for six months. Successful smoking cessation was defined by self-reported no smoking over the preceding seven days (7-day point abstinence). In total, 280 participants with a mean aged of 53.5 years were enrolled, and 42.9% of participants successfully stopped smoking in 6 months. The results revealed that quitters were older, with hypertension, fewer daily cigarettes, and being prescribed with varenicline. Multiple logistic regressions analyses identified that fewer daily cigarettes and being prescribed with varenicline were predictors of successful smoking cessation. Therefore, we suggest that varenicline use may help heavy smokers in smoking cessation.

Comparison of a Daily Smartphone App and Retrospective Questionnaire Measures of Adherence to Nicotine Replacement Therapy within Pregnant Women (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated how to best measure adherence to smoking cessation medications, but continuous usage measures are recommended. OBJECTIVE In this first study of its kind, we compared methods for measuring adherence to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), investigating the completeness and validity of data collected from daily assessments using a smartphone app versus data collected from retrospective questionnaires. METHODS Women aged ≥16, who were daily smokers <25 weeks pregnant, were offered cessation counselling and encouraged to use NRT. Women set quit dates (QD) and, for 28 days afterwards, were asked to report NRT use daily to a smartphone app and to questionnaires administered in-person or remotely at 7 and 28 days. For both data collection methods, we provided up to £25 in compensation for time taken providing research data. Data completeness and NRT use reported to app and questionnaires were compared. For each method, we also correlated mean daily nicotine doses reported within 7 days of QD with Day 7 saliva cotinine concentrations. RESULTS Of 438 women assessed for eligibility, 40 participated and 35 accepted NRT. More participants (31/35) submitted NRT usage data to the app by Day 28 (median days submitted=25 [IQR 11]) than completed the Day 28 questionnaire (24/35). Data submitted to the app showed a lower reported duration of NRT use compared to the questionnaire (median days NRT for app=24 [IQR 10.25]; questionnaire=28 [4.75], P=.007), and there appeared to be specific cases of overreporting to the questionnaire. Mean daily nicotine doses (mg) between QD and Day 7 were lower when calculated using app data (median mg for app=40 [52.1]; questionnaire=40 [63.1], P=.001), and some large outliers were evident for the questionnaire. Mean daily nicotine doses, adjusted for cigarettes smoked, were not associated with cotinine concentrations for either method (app r=0.184, P=.55; questionnaire r=0.031, P=.92). CONCLUSIONS Daily assessment of NRT use via a smartphone app facilitated more complete data (a higher response rate) than questionnaires, and reporting rates over 28 days were encouraging among pregnant women. Although data from neither method was significantly associated with cotinine concentrations, app data had better face validity; retrospective questionnaires appeared to overestimate NRT use for some.

A dohányzásleszokás-támogatás első vonalbeli gyógyszeres terápiájának aktualitásai

Összefoglaló. A dohányzás jelenleg is az egyik legjelentősebb népegészségügyi probléma hazánkban. Az orvosi szakterületek többségében előkerül a dohányzásleszokás-támogatás kérdése. Ezért az orvostársadalom számára az aktuális gyógyszeres terápiás ismeretek összefoglalása hasznos lehet. A jelen közleményben a leszokástámogatás elsődlegesen választandó gyógyszeres terápiáját tekintjük át a legújabb összefoglalók és irányelvek szerint. A gyógyszeres lehetőségek közül jelenleg a vareniklin és a nikotinpótló terápia választandó elsőként, nemcsak a leszokás, hanem az ártalomcsökkentés tekintetében is. A legújabb kutatási eredmények szerint a kis dózisú vareniklin hatékonysága megközelíti a standard adagolás hatékonyságát, ugyanakkor kevesebb mellékhatás jelentkezik. A nikotinpótló kezeléssel kapcsolatban ki kell emelni, hogy egyre több tudományos evidencia áll a transdermalis és oralis készítmények kombinálása mellett, szemben a monoterápiával. A kis dózisú vareniklin, illetve a nikotinpótló terápia akkor is segítséget nyújt a naponta elszívott cigaretták mérséklésében, ha a kliens nem kíván leszokni, de a dohányzás ártalmait csökkentené. A nikotinerg rendszeren kívül más módon ható gyógyszerek szerepe is felmerült. Egyre több összefoglaló támogatja az antidepresszívumok használatát a nikotinfüggőség kezelésében. Ezek közül a bupropion használatával kapcsolatban van a legtöbb adat, amelyről tudjuk, hogy kombinálható a nikotinpótló terápiával és a vareniklinnel is. A gyógyszeres terápiát minden esetben tanácsos magatartásorvoslási módszerekkel, illetve adherenciát fokozó intervenciókkal kombinálni. Ezenkívül a szakellátási szint bevonása is javasolt, hogy a lehető legtöbb segítséget kapja meg a páciens a leszokáshoz. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(40): 1610–1618. Summary. Smoking is still one of the most significant public health problems in Hungary. The issue of smoking cessation support comes up in most medical specialties. Therefore, a summary of the current pharmacotherapeutic knowledge may prove useful to the medical community. In this paper, we review the first-line pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation based on the latest summaries and guidelines. Regarding the smoking cessation agents, varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy are currently the primary choice, not only in terms of cessation but also in terms of harm reduction. The results of previous studies suggest that the efficacy of low dose varenicline is close to that of standard dosing, with fewer side effects. With regard to nicotine replacement therapy, it should be emphasized that there is an increasing scientific evidence for the combination of transdermal and oral formulations as opposed to monotherapy. Low dose varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy also help reduce the number of cigarettes smoked daily if the client does not want to quit but would reduce the harms of smoking. The role of medications acting in other ways than the nicotinergic system has also emerged. An increasing number of reviews support the use of antidepressants in the treatment of nicotine addiction. Of these, most data are available on the use of bupropion, which is known to be combined with nicotine replacement therapy and varenicline. In all cases, it is advisable to combine pharmacotherapy with behavioral therapy as well as interventions that increase adherence. In addition, it is also recommended to include specific therapeutic interventions in order to get as much help as possible for the patient to quit smoking. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(40): 1610–1618.

Smoking cessation medicines and e-cigarettes: a systematic review, network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis

Background Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of early death. Varenicline [Champix (UK), Pfizer Europe MA EEIG, Brussels, Belgium; or Chantix (USA), Pfizer Inc., Mission, KS, USA], bupropion (Zyban; GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, UK) and nicotine replacement therapy are licensed aids for quitting smoking in the UK. Although not licensed, e-cigarettes may also be used in English smoking cessation services. Concerns have been raised about the safety of these medicines and e-cigarettes. Objectives To determine the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation medicines and e-cigarettes. Design Systematic reviews, network meta-analyses and cost-effectiveness analysis informed by the network meta-analysis results. Setting Primary care practices, hospitals, clinics, universities, workplaces, nursing or residential homes. Participants Smokers aged ≥ 18 years of all ethnicities using UK-licensed smoking cessation therapies and/or e-cigarettes. Interventions Varenicline, bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy as monotherapies and in combination treatments at standard, low or high dose, combination nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarette monotherapies. Main outcome measures Effectiveness – continuous or sustained abstinence. Safety – serious adverse events, major adverse cardiovascular events and major adverse neuropsychiatric events. Data sources Ten databases, reference lists of relevant research articles and previous reviews. Searches were performed from inception until 16 March 2017 and updated on 19 February 2019. Review methods Three reviewers screened the search results. Data were extracted and risk of bias was assessed by one reviewer and checked by the other reviewers. Network meta-analyses were conducted for effectiveness and safety outcomes. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated using an amended version of the Benefits of Smoking Cessation on Outcomes model. Results Most monotherapies and combination treatments were more effective than placebo at achieving sustained abstinence. Varenicline standard plus nicotine replacement therapy standard (odds ratio 5.75, 95% credible interval 2.27 to 14.90) was ranked first for sustained abstinence, followed by e-cigarette low (odds ratio 3.22, 95% credible interval 0.97 to 12.60), although these estimates have high uncertainty. We found effect modification for counselling and dependence, with a higher proportion of smokers who received counselling achieving sustained abstinence than those who did not receive counselling, and higher odds of sustained abstinence among participants with higher average dependence scores. We found that bupropion standard increased odds of serious adverse events compared with placebo (odds ratio 1.27, 95% credible interval 1.04 to 1.58). There were no differences between interventions in terms of major adverse cardiovascular events. There was evidence of increased odds of major adverse neuropsychiatric events for smokers randomised to varenicline standard compared with those randomised to bupropion standard (odds ratio 1.43, 95% credible interval 1.02 to 2.09). There was a high level of uncertainty about the most cost-effective intervention, although all were cost-effective compared with nicotine replacement therapy low at the £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year threshold. E-cigarette low appeared to be most cost-effective in the base case, followed by varenicline standard plus nicotine replacement therapy standard. When the impact of major adverse neuropsychiatric events was excluded, varenicline standard plus nicotine replacement therapy standard was most cost-effective, followed by varenicline low plus nicotine replacement therapy standard. When limited to licensed interventions in the UK, nicotine replacement therapy standard was most cost-effective, followed by varenicline standard. Limitations Comparisons between active interventions were informed almost exclusively by indirect evidence. Findings were imprecise because of the small numbers of adverse events identified. Conclusions Combined therapies of medicines are among the most clinically effective, safe and cost-effective treatment options for smokers. Although the combined therapy of nicotine replacement therapy and varenicline at standard doses was the most effective treatment, this is currently unlicensed for use in the UK. Future work Researchers should examine the use of these treatments alongside counselling and continue investigating the long-term effectiveness and safety of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation compared with active interventions such as nicotine replacement therapy. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016041302. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 59. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.