title: Long-term efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A double-blind RCT on the short-term efficacy of nicotine patches compared to placebo patches among Dutch adolescents was conducted. The findings demonstrated that nicotine patches are efficacious for smoking cessation at end-of-treatment; however, only in highly compliant participants. We tested whether the effects of NRT also held in 6- (T7) and 12-month (T8) follow-up assessments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents aged 12-18 years, who smoked at least seven cigarettes a day and who were motivated to quit smoking were recruited at school yards and randomly assigned to either a nicotine patch (n=182) or a placebo patch (n=180) condition according to a computer generated list. Participants (N=257, age: 16.7 ± 1.13 years) attended an information meeting followed by a 6- or 9-week treatment. Smoking cessation, compliance, and potential covariates were measured by means of online questionnaires. Smoking cessation at T8 was biochemically validated by saliva cotinine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T7, 8.1% and 5.7% of participants were abstinent in the nicotine and placebo patch groups, respectively. At T8, abstinence was 4.4% and 6.6%, respectively. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no significant effects of NRT on abstinence rates at T7 (OR=1.54, 95% CI=0.57, 4.16) and validated abstinence rates at T8 (OR=0.64, 95% CI=0.21, 1.93) neither after considering compliance nor after adjusting for covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NRT fails in helping adolescents quit smoking at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. This finding suggests that a more intensive approach is needed to assist youngsters in their quit attempts.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: c.s.scherphof@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Charlotte S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Scherphof
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Regina J J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van den Eijnden
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rutger C M E
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wilma A M
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Vollebergh
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine
keywords: Adolescents; Efficacy; Nicotine patch; Nicotine replacement therapy; RCT; Smoking