title: Hypnotherapy is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation: results of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy of pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation is well documented. However, due to relapse rates and side effects, hypnotherapy is gaining attention as an alternative treatment option. The aim of this one-center randomized study was to compare the efficacy of hypnotherapy alone, as well as hypnotherapy with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), to conventional NRT in patients hospitalized with a cardiac or pulmonary illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated self-reported and biochemically verified 7-day prevalence smoking abstinence rates at 12 and 26 weeks post-hospitalization. Patients (n=164) were randomized into one of three counseling-based treatment groups: NRT for 30 days (NRT; n=41), a 90-min hypnotherapy session (H; n=39), and NRT with hypnotherapy (HNRT; n=37). Treatment groups were compared to a "self-quit" group of 35 patients who refused intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypnotherapy patients were more likely than NRT patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks (43.9% vs. 28.2%; p=0.14) and 26 weeks after hospitalization (36.6% vs. 18.0%; p=0.06). Smoking abstinence rates in the HNRT group were similar to the H group. There was no difference in smoking abstinence rates at 26 weeks between "self quit" and participants in any of the treatment groups. In multivariable regression analysis adjusting for diagnosis and demographic characteristics, H and HNRT were over three times more likely than NRT participants to abstain at 26-weeks post-discharge (RR=3.6; p=0.03 and RR=3.2; p=0.04, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypnotherapy is more effective than NRT in improving smoking abstinence in patients hospitalized for a smoking-related illness, and could be an asset to post-discharge smoking cessation programs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Faysal M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Behavioral Medicine Research, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, United States. Electronic address: Sofija.Zagarins@baystatehealth.org.
authors.forename: Sofija E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Zagarins
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Pischke
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Shamila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saiyed
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beal
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macys
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aurora
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McCleary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hospitalization; Hypnosis; Nicotine replacement; Randomized controlled trial; Smoking cessation