PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy

2014-01-08
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Kelley Luckstein
newsbureau@mayo.edu
507-284-5005
Mayo Clinic
Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 7, 2014 — Among cigarette smokers, combining the smoking cessation medications varenicline and bupropion, compared with varenicline alone, resulted in higher smoking abstinence rates for one outcome but not the other at three and six months; rates were similar at one year, according to a Mayo Clinic study published this month in JAMA.

"We were interested in seeing if combining different medications together can improve the ability of patients to quit over and above single drug therapy," says lead author Jon Ebbert, M.D., Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center. "What we found was an increase in quit rates, and the increase in quit rates was particularly strong in heavier and more dependent smokers."

The study authors looked at the efficacy of combining the medications varenicline and bupropion SR (sustained-release) for smoking cessation, compared with varenicline alone (monotherapy). In addition, the research team analyzed data based on participants' smoking rate and level of nicotine dependence.

Cigarette smokers were randomized to 12 weeks of varenicline and bupropion SR or varenicline and placebo with follow-up through 52 weeks. The primary outcome was smoking abstinence rates at week 12, defined as prolonged abstinence (no smoking from two weeks after the target quit date) and seven-day point-prevalence abstinence (no smoking past seven days). Outcomes were confirmed with an exhaled breath test for carbon monoxide.

Combination therapy was associated with significantly higher prolonged smoking abstinence rates at 12 (53 percent vs. 43.2 percent) and 26 weeks (36.6 percent vs. 27.6 percent) compared with varenicline alone. No significant differences were observed between the two groups at any time point for seven-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence. Anxiety was reported more commonly with combination therapy than with varenicline monotherapy (7.2 percent vs. 3.1 percent), as were depressive symptoms (3.6 percent vs. 0.8 percent).

Additional analyses revealed that the beneficial effects of combination therapy were stronger in heavier and more dependent smokers.

"For lighter smokers, using varenicline alone is just as effective as using both medications together," says Dr. Ebbert. "But, if you're a heavy smoker, you really should consider using combination therapy to increase your success of quitting."

###

The study was supported by National Institutes of Health grant CA138417. Medication (varenicline) was supplied by Pfizer.

Other authors include Dorothy Hatsukami, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; Sharon Allen, M.D., Ph.D., Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota; Ivana Croghan, Ph.D.; Darrell Schroeder; J. Taylor Hays, M.D.; and Richard Hurt, M.D., all from Mayo Clinic.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

About Mayo Clinic

Recognizing 150 years of serving humanity in 2014, Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit 150years.mayoclinic.org, MayoClinic.org or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma

2014-01-08
New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma Reston, Va. (January 7, 2014) – With low survival rates for patients with metastasized melanoma, accurate staging and effective treatments are critical to extending ...

Pandora's magnifying glass

2014-01-08
Pandora's magnifying glass First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields This image of Abell 2744 is the first to come from Hubble's Frontier Fields observing programme, which is using the magnifying power of enormous galaxy clusters to peer deep ...

Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager

2014-01-08
Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager After nearly a decade of development, construction and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging and analyzing planets orbiting around other stars is pointing ...

Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies

2014-01-08
Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies UC Riverside-led research shows the galaxies are the faintest and most numerous ever seen in the early universe RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A team of scientists led by astronomers at the University ...

Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity

2014-01-08
Neuroscience study uncovers new player in obesity A protein directs appetite suppressor in the brain; implications for obesity treatment BOSTON (January 7, 2014, 5:00 pm ET) — A new neuroscience study sheds light on the biological underpinnings ...

Finding about classic suppressor of immunity points toward new therapies for bad infections

2014-01-08
Finding about classic suppressor of immunity points toward new therapies for bad infections AUGUSTA, Ga. - A well-documented suppressor of immunity that's used by fetuses and tumors alike, just may be able to change its spots, researchers ...

Study: 'Living Room' offers alternative treatment for emotional distress

2014-01-08
Study: 'Living Room' offers alternative treatment for emotional distress Patients perceive nonclinical care setting as 'helpful and positive' CHICAGO — Emergency departments may not be the best choice for persons suffering from severe mental illness or emotional distress. ...

AGU journal highlights -- Jan. 7, 2014

2014-01-08
AGU journal highlights -- Jan. 7, 2014 The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) and Water Resources Research (WRR). In this release: Kīlauea magma chamber inflation triggered ...

Microbe community changes may reduce Amazon's ability to lock up carbon dioxide

2014-01-08
Microbe community changes may reduce Amazon's ability to lock up carbon dioxide UT Arlington researchers focusing on the Amazon recently found that widespread conversion from rainforest to pastureland has significant effects on microorganism communities that ...

New research study: The snowball effect of overfishing

2014-01-08
New research study: The snowball effect of overfishing TALLAHASSEE – Florida State University researchers have spearheaded a major review of fisheries research that examines the domino effect that occurs when too many fish are harvested from one habitat. The ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

[Press-News.org] Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy