Efficacy of pharmacologic therapy for smoking cessation
| PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT | TREATMENT LENGTH | DOSAGE | EXPERIMENTAL GROUP EVENT RATE (%) | CONTROL GROUP EVENT RATE (%) | ODDS RATIO (95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicotine gum8* | 1–3 mo | 2-mg or 4-mg pieces used for cravings or on a fixed schedule | 19.5 | 11.5 | 1.66 (1.52–1.81) |
| Nicotine patch8* | Various | Various | 14.6 | 8.6 | 1.81 (1.63–2.02) |
| Nicotine inhaler8* | 6 mo | 6–16 cartridges tapered daily in fourth mo | 17.1 | 9.1 | 2.14 (1.44–3.18) |
| Bupropion10* | 7–12 wk | 150 mg once daily for 3 d, then 150 mg twice daily | 20 | 10.2 | 1.94 (1.72–2.19) |
| Varenicline11† | 12 wk | 0.5 mg once daily for 3 d, then 0.5 mg twice daily for 4 d, then 1 mg twice daily for 11 wk | 29.7 | 13.2 | 2.83 (1.91–4.19)‡ |
| Varenicline11§ | 12 wk | 0.5 mg once daily for 3 d, then 0.5 mg twice daily for 4 d, then 1 mg twice daily for 11 wk | 23 | 10.3 | 2.66 (1.72–4.11)|| |
↵* Therapy was considered effective if patients achieved abstinence at 6 mo or longer follow-up.
↵† Therapy was considered effective if patients achieved continuous abstinence wk 9 through 24.
↵‡ Number needed to treat = 6.
↵§ Therapy was considered effective if patients achieved continuous abstinence wk 9 through 52.
↵|| Number needed to treat = 8.