Open AccessHigher dosage nicotine patches increase one‐year smoking cessation rates: results from the European CEASE trial
Author(s) -
Tønnesen P.,
Paoletti P.,
Gustavsson G,
Russell M.a,
Saracci R,
Gulsvik A.,
Rijcken B.,
Sawe U.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.021
H-Index - 241
eISSN - 1399-3003
pISSN - 0903-1936
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3003.1999.13b04.x
Subject(s) - placebo , medicine , nicotine patch , smoking cessation , nicotine , nicotine replacement therapy , randomized controlled trial , anesthesia , alternative medicine , pathology
The Collaborative European Anti‐Smoking Evaluation (CEASE) was a European multicentre, randomized, double‐blind placebo controlled smoking cessation study. The objectives were to determine whether higher dosage and longer duration of nicotine patch therapy would increase the success rate. Thirty‐six chest clinics enrolled a total of 3,575 smokers. Subjects were allocated to one of five treatment arms: placebo and either standard or higher dose nicotine patches (15 mg and 25 mg daily) each given for 8 or 22 weeks with adjunctive moderately intensive support. The 12 month sustained success rates were: 25 mg patch for 22 weeks (L‐25), 15.4%; 25 mg patch for 8 weeks (S‐25), 15.9%; 15 mg patch for 22 weeks (L‐15), 13.7%; 15 mg patch for 8 weeks (S‐15), 11.7%; and placebo (P‐0) 9.9% (placebo versus 15 mg, p<0.05; 25 mg versus 15 mg, p<0.03; 25 mg versus placebo, p<0.001, Chi‐squared test). There was no significant difference in success rate between the two active treatment durations. Of the first week abstainers (n=1,698), 25.1% achieved success at 12 months as opposed to first week smokers, 2.7% of 1,877 subjects (p<0.001). In summary, a higher than standard dose of nicotine patch was associated with an increase in the long‐term success in smoking cessation but continuation of treatment beyond 8–12 weeks did not increase the success rates.