Nicotine gum or patch treatment for smoking cessation and smoking reduction: a multi-centre study in Chinese physicians.
In China, around 23% of physicians (41% male, 3% female) currently smoke. Pharmacotherapy for tobacco dependence is available, but is not widely used in China. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effectiveness and the safety on smoking cessation of nicotine gum and nicotine patch in Chinese healthcare professionals. Three hundred regular smokers motivated to quit were recruited from six hospitals in China. All subjects were accepted nicotine replacement therapy, and they could choose nicotine gum (2 mg or 4 mg, depending on baseline smoking level) or nicotine patch (15 mg/16 h) for 12 weeks, with a 12-week follow-up. Limited behavioural support was provided. At Week 24, the 2-24 weeks continuous abstinence rate (verified by expired carbon monoxide) was 17%, the point prevalence abstinence rate (no smoking since the previous visit) was 35%, and 38% of subjects had continuously reduced their daily cigarette consumption by at least 50% versus baseline. Compliance with treatment was good, particularly with patch. No serious adverse event was reported, and most adverse events were mild or moderate. The most common treatment-related adverse events were gastrointestinal (both gum and patch) and local irritation symptoms. Nicotine patch and gum were well tolerated in Chinese smokers. Abstinence rates were comparable to those previously reported with nicotine replacement therapy, and many smokers who did not quit substantially reduced their cigarette consumption.
Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, WHO Collaborating Center for Tobacco or Health, Beijing, 100020, China.
Dan
D
Xiao
Nanshan
N
Zhong
Chunxue
C
Bai
Qingyu
Q
Xiu
Canmao
C
Xie
Dayi
D
Hu
Yun
Y
Mao
Roland
R
Perfekt
Elisabeth
E
Kruse
Qing
Q
Li
John Jiangnan
JJ
Liu
Chen
C
Wang
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D016896:Treatment Outcome