title: Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) can deliver nicotine and mitigate tobacco withdrawal and are used by many smokers to assist quit attempts. We investigated whether e-cigarettes are more effective than nicotine patches at helping smokers to quit.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did this pragmatic randomised-controlled superiority trial in Auckland, New Zealand, between Sept 6, 2011, and July 5, 2013. Adult (≥18 years) smokers wanting to quit were randomised (with computerised block randomisation, block size nine, stratified by ethnicity [Māori; Pacific; or non-Māori, non-Pacific], sex [men or women], and level of nicotine dependence [>5 or ≤5 Fagerström test for nicotine dependence]) in a 4:4:1 ratio to 16 mg nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine patches (21 mg patch, one daily), or placebo e-cigarettes (no nicotine), from 1 week before until 12 weeks after quit day, with low intensity behavioural support via voluntary telephone counselling. The primary outcome was biochemically verified continuous abstinence at 6 months (exhaled breath carbon monoxide measurement <10 ppm). Primary analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12610000866000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  657 people were randomised (289 to nicotine e-cigarettes, 295 to patches, and 73 to placebo e-cigarettes) and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 6 months, verified abstinence was 7·3% (21 of 289) with nicotine e-cigarettes, 5·8% (17 of 295) with patches, and 4·1% (three of 73) with placebo e-cigarettes (risk difference for nicotine e-cigarette vs patches 1·51 [95% CI -2·49 to 5·51]; for nicotine e-cigarettes vs placebo e-cigarettes 3·16 [95% CI -2·29 to 8·61]). Achievement of abstinence was substantially lower than we anticipated for the power calculation, thus we had insufficient statistical power to conclude superiority of nicotine e-cigarettes to patches or to placebo e-cigarettes. We identified no significant differences in adverse events, with 137 events in the nicotine e-cigarettes group, 119 events in the patches group, and 36 events in the placebo e-cigarettes group. We noted no evidence of an association between adverse events and study product.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, were modestly effective at helping smokers to quit, with similar achievement of abstinence as with nicotine patches, and few adverse events. Uncertainty exists about the place of e-cigarettes in tobacco control, and more research is urgently needed to clearly establish their overall benefits and harms at both individual and population levels.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Health Research Council of New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Innovation, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: c.bullen@nihi.auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bullen
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: Murray
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laugesen
authors.forename: Hayden
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McRobbie
authors.forename: Varsha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parag
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Williman
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices / Q000592:standards*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide