Adaptive Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation

Phase 2

Completed

Conditions: Nicotine Dependence

Interventions: Drug: Varenicline Adaptive Protocol
Drug: Nicotine Adaptive Protocol
Behavioral: Varenicline Standard Protocol
Behavioral: Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol

Registration Number: NCT02501265

Lead Sponsor: Duke University

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to assess an "adaptive" approach to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. The protocol is designed to compare adaptive vs. standard approaches to two common smoking cessation pharmacotherapies - Varenicline (commonly known as Chantix) and the Nicotine Patch. The investigators hypothesize that participants allocated to adaptive therapy will show significantly higher biochemically confirmed 30-day continuous abstinence at 12 weeks post-Target Quit Day (TQD).

Detailed Description: The purpose of this study is to assess an "adaptive" approach to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. The protocol is designed to compare adaptive vs. standard approaches to two common smoking cessation pharmacotherapies (Varenicline and Nicotine Patch). The adaptive treatment approach provides the addition of Bupropion in the pre-quit period for participants who are not "responding" to initial treatment. Little is known about the adaptive use of Varenicline or Nicotine Patch, in which Bupropion is added to Varenicline or Patch for those who do not respond to one of these medications in a pre-quit treatment period. This study attempts to address these knowledge deficits. The study (N=300) is a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial designed to compare biochemically-confirmed abstinence rates in smokers randomized to Varenicline Adaptive Protocol vs. Varenicline (N=150) and for comparison, Nicotine Patch Adaptive Protocol vs. Nicotine Patch (N=150). The "Varenicline Adaptive Protocol" is conducted by starting treatment with Varenicline 4 weeks prior to the quit day and following each participant's response to this pre-treatment medication. After 2 weeks, if the patient shows a reduction greater than 50% in cigarettes smoked per day, then the patient is considered to be a "Varenicline responder" and is continued on Varenicline alone out to 12-weeks post quit day. If the patient does not spontaneously decrease smoking in the pre-quit period by more than 50% cigarettes per day, the patient is considered to be a "Varenicline non-responder" and Bupropion is added to the Varenicline. For comparison, an identical protocol is used with nicotine patch vs. nicotine patch adaptive treatment. The study uses only FDA-approved medications: Varenicline, Nicotine Patch, Bupropion, and placebo controls. To pattern clinical practice, participants will be able to choose whether they would like to use a patch or Varenicline-based treatment. After choosing, however, they will be randomized to adaptive vs. non-adaptive version of that treatment. Placebo medications are matched throughout the study. Participants will be blinded to all medications. All participants will receive behavioral treatment including a single 40-minute visit with a medical provider. The study is designed to provide researchers and clinicians with a better understanding of how to use adaptive pharmacotherapy protocols to improve smoking cessation rates.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 188

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Varenicline Adaptive Protocol	Varenicline Adaptive Protocol	Participant chooses Varenicline treatment and is randomized to Adaptive Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts active Varenicline. Two weeks prior to TQD, cigarettes smoked per day is assessed. If the number of cigarettes smoked per day is reduced by \>50%, the participant is considered a Varenicline responder, and starts placebo Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. If the participant DOES NOT reduce cigarettes smoked per day by \>50%, the participant is considered a Varenicline non-responder and starts active Bupropion 1 week prior to TQD. Varenicline responders will continue active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD. Varenicline non-responders will continue active Varenicline and active Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD.
Nicotine Patch Adaptive Protocol	Nicotine Adaptive Protocol	Participant choses Nicotine treatment and is randomized to Adaptive Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts active Nicotine Patches. Two weeks prior to TQD, cigarettes smoked per day is assessed. If cigarettes smoked per day is reduced by \>50%, the participant is considered a Nicotine Patch responder and starts placebo Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. If the participant DOES NOT reduce cigarettes smoked per day by \>50%, the participant is considered a Nicotine Patch non-responder and starts active Bupropion 1 week prior to the TQD. Nicotine Patch responders will continue active Nicotine Patches and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD. Nicotine Patch non-responders will continue active Nicotine Patches and Bupropion to 12 weeks post TQD.
Varenicline Standard Protocol	Varenicline Standard Protocol	Participant choses Varenicline-based treatment and is then randomized to Standard Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts placebo Varenicline. Consistent with Varenicline Standard Treatment, 1 week prior to the TQD the participant will switch to active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion. Participant will continue active Varenicline and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post-TQD.
Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol	Nicotine Patch Standard Protocol	Participant choses Nicotine patch-based treatment and is then randomized to Standard Treatment arm (N=75). Four weeks prior to target quit date (TQD), participant starts placebo Nicotine Patch. One week prior to TQD, participant will start placebo Bupropion. Consistent with Nicotine Patch Standard Treatment, participant will start active Nicotine Patch on TQD. Participant will continue active Nicotine Patch and placebo Bupropion to 12 weeks post-TQD.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Biochemically-confirmed 30-day Continuous Smoking Abstinence	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)	Number of participants who self report complete smoking abstinence over the last 30 days and are also verified to be abstinent by carbon monoxide (CO) expired breath testing with CO \< 7 parts per million.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
7-day Point Prevalence Biochemically Confirmed Abstinence	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)	Number of participants who self report complete smoking abstinence over the last 7 days and are also verified to be abstinent by carbon monoxide (CO) expired breath testing with CO \< 7 parts per million.
Phone-assessed Self-reported Abstinence	52 weeks post-TQD	Number of participants who self reported smoking abstinence over the last 24 hours assessed via single-item question.
Change in Cigarettes Smoked Per Day	12 weeks post-TQD (Visit 4)	The percentage of participants who decreased the number of daily cigarettes smoked by 50% or more from the baseline assessment visit to 12 weeks post target quit day assessment visit collected by self-report in participants who completed the 12-week post target quit day assessment visit
Change in Cigarettes Smoked Per Day (Phone)	52 weeks post-TQD	The percentage of participants who decreased the number of daily cigarettes smoked by 50% or more from the baseline assessment visit to 52 weeks post target quit day assessment visit collected by self-report in participants who completed the 52-week post target quit day phone assessment.