title: Combination of behavioral smoking cessation with transdermal nicotine substitution.
abstract: Effects of a transdermal nicotine substitution on psychological smoking cessation were investigated in a double-blind prospective study. 131 smokers were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: All smokers underwent nine weeks of self-controlled smoking cessation. During six weeks one group was additionally treated with nicotine patches continuously releasing nicotine through the skin into the blood circuit. The second group received placebo patches; while the third group was treated with behavioral training alone. Treatment effects were measured by daily cigarette consumption. Nicotine-treated subjects reached significantly higher abstinence rates during and at the end of treatment than both placebo- and control-subjects: 69% in the nicotine condition, 51.2% and 44.4% under placebo and control conditions respectively. Effects are influenced by initial cigarette consumption, with the light smokers benefitting most from the nicotine patch. Self-assessments suggest an aversive effect of transdermal nicotine on cigarette taste. Our results, although not yet verified by long-term observations, demonstrate that transdermal nicotine substitution significantly enhances the effectiveness of behavioral smoking cessation methods.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie der Universität Münster, FRG.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buchkremer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bents
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horstmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tölle
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012907:Smoking / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine