NCT00962988

Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Cost-free Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation for High-risk Smokers With Cerebrovascular Disease

Efficacy and Cost-effectiveness of Cost-free Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation for High-risk Smokers With Cerebrovascular Disease

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 194 (actual)
• Sponsor: Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Research Aims The aims of this research study are to determine whether cost-free smoking cessation pharmacotherapy: 1. Helps smokers with Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or stroke to quit smoking over the long-term, compared to simply providing a prescription for these medications; 2. Is a more cost-effective alternative to providing a prescription only for these medications in this high risk population. Hypotheses to be Tested The hypotheses to be tested include the following: 1. The CO-validated continuous abstinence rate at weeks 26 and 52 following a target quit date will be at least 10% higher for the cost-free smoking cessation pharmacotherapy intervention group compared to the prescription only usual care group; 2. Cost-free smoking cessation pharmacotherapy will have a greater cost-effectiveness (i.e., cost/quit) than providing a prescription only.

Detailed description

Smokers with Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or stroke attending a Stroke Prevention Clinic and willing to quit smoking will be randomly assigned (1:1) to either a prescription only (PO) usual care group or a cost-free (CF) pharmacotherapy experimental group. Participants assigned to the prescription only usual care group will be asked to have their prescription for smoking cessation pharmacotherapy filled at their own cost at their local community pharmacy. Participants assigned to the cost-free pharmacotherapy group will be provided with a 12-week supply of NRT, or a 12-week supply of bupropion or varenicline. The pharmacotherapy will be provided by the research nurse to the patient immediately. All participants will receive identical advice regarding smoking from the attending neurologist, nurse counseling for smoking cessation, and follow-up tracking and telephone-based support for up to 26 weeks after the target quit date. Non-treatment follow-up will continue to week 52 after the target quit date.

Conditions

• Cerebrovascular Disorders
• Smoking Cessation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Cost-Free Pharmacotherapy Group	Participants assigned to the cost-free pharmacotherapy group will be provided with a 12-week supply of NRT, or a 12-week supply of bupropion or varenicline. Patients smoking 10 cigarettes or less will be prescribed 7mg/24hours for 12 weeks. Those who smoke 11- 20 cigarettes per day will be prescribed 14 mg/24 hours for 8 weeks and then nicotine patch 7mg for 4 weeks. Those smoking ≥ 20 cigarettes per day will be prescribed 21 mg/daily for 6 weeks and then nicotine patch 14mg/daily for 4 weeks and then nicotine patch 7 mg/daily for 2 weeks. For patients who are prescribed varenicline, they will start the medication 8 days before the quit date using the following regime: Days 1-3: 0.5mg once/day; Days 4-7: 0.5 mg BID; Day 8-12 weeks 1.0 mg twice daily. For patients who are prescribed bupropion, they will start the medication 8 days before the quit date using the following regime: Days 1-3: 150 mg daily (in the morning); Day 4-30: 150 mg BID for 3 months.
OTHER	Prescription Only Group	Participants assigned to the prescription only usual care group will be asked to have their prescription for smoking cessation pharmacotherapy filled at their own cost at their local community pharmacy

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-12-01
• Primary completion: 2015-04-01
• Completion: 2015-04-01
• First posted: 2009-08-20
• Last updated: 2022-03-10

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Canada