A COMBINATION of varenicline and nicotine lozenges may be a more effective treatment option for people looking to quit smoking compared to varenicline alone, according to results from a new clinical trial at Monash University.
Varenicline is currently the most effective single therapy, however the 'VANISH' clinical trial found combining this with mild nicotine replacement therapy such as lozenges led to an 84% increase in a participant maintaining a smoking abstinence 12 months later.
The Monash University study featured 320 adult daily smokers who had been admitted to five Australian public hospitals and was conducted by the University's Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS) in the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Hospitals featured in the trial included Eastern Health, Peninsula Health, Barwon Health and Monash Health in Vic, along with Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide.
Lead author Associate Professor Johnson George said the fact participants self-reported smoking abstinence at both the six-month and 12-month follow-ups means smokers now have an additional treatment option at their disposal, with larger clinical trials a next step.
"The COVID-19 pandemic limited our ability to measure biochemically validated abstinence; however, based on self-reported abstinence, the combination therapy was clearly the more effective option when compared with varenicline alone, with no compromise on safety," George said.
"As such, in the context of heavy smokers who continue to experience withdrawal symptoms when taking varenicline alone, based on our findings, it is certainly worth considering introducing nicotine lozenges to their treatment regimen," he added.
The study monitored heavy smokers who had been hospitalised due to their habit and how their lives would benefit if they quit. ML
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