title: Meta-analysis of studies investigating one-year effectiveness of transdermal nicotine patches for smoking cessation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The one-year effectiveness of transdermal nicotine patches versus placebo patches for smoking cessation based on continuous or sustained abstinence was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search of MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to April 2006 was conducted. Articles containing relevant keywords were reviewed by two evaluators independently. To be considered for inclusion in the meta-analysis, studies had to be randomized clinical trials with a transdermal nicotine patch group and a placebo patch group, had to include at least one year of follow-up, had to have abstinence biochemically verified, and had to include the odds ratio (OR) as an outcome measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen trials met the selection criteria. The total number of subjects was 9457 (6084 in the nicotine patch group and 3373 in the placebo patch group). The pooled OR for smoking abstinence at one year for the nicotine patch group versus the placebo patch group was 1.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.55-2.08). The pooled OR for one-year continuous or sustained abstinence for the nicotine patch compared with placebo, excluding four studies reporting only point-prevalence abstinence, was 1.75 (95% CI, 1.49-2.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A meta-analysis of trials of transdermal nicotine patch therapy versus placebo for smoking cessation yielded ORs for smoking abstinence of about 1.8 at one year after the start of therapy. ORs were similar whether the endpoint was point-prevalence abstinence, continuous or sustained abstinence, or both.
authors.affiliation: Smoking Cessation Clinic and Center for Cancer Prevention and Detection, National Cancer Center, Goyangsi, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Kwon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Myung
authors.forename: Keun-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Seung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Seong Hi
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hong Gwan
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Seung Sik
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Sue Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010919:Placebos; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D009538:Nicotine