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UW Quitting Using Intensive Treatment Study (QUITS)

Phase 4
Completed
Conditions
Tobacco Dependence
Interventions
Other: Placebo Patch
Other: Placebo Pill
Registration Number
NCT03176784
Lead Sponsor
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Brief Summary

This research will determine whether two highly promising modifications to varenicline treatment (i.e. use of a nicotine patch adjuvant and extended 24-week duration) produce superior smoking outcomes when they are either used together or alone. Despite their promise, the proposed modifications have never been experimentally evaluated relative to standard varenicline pharmacotherapy. Thus, this innovative research will produce novel evidence regarding how best to help smokers quit, and thereby address the leading cause of preventable mortality and morbidity related to cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Detailed Description

Building on our recent NHLBI-funded publication in JAMA (see references below) that described the modest effectiveness of varenicline pharmacotherapy, this study will use a 2 X 2 factorial design to evaluate two different medication use strategies on their ability to markedly enhance varenicline effectiveness in a large cohort of current smokers. Smokers (N=1000) will be randomly assigned to one of two levels for each of two factors: 1) an Adjuvant factor (varenicline + placebo patch versus varenicline + nicotine patch), and 2) a Duration factor (12 versus 24 weeks of active medication). Thus, this factorial design yields a "standard" varenicline treatment (12 weeks of active varenicline and 12 weeks of placebo varenicline + 24 weeks of placebo patch), and 3 enhanced treatments: 1) 12 weeks of active varenicline and 12 weeks of placebo varenicline + 24 weeks of active patch, 2) 24-weeks of active varenicline + 24 weeks of placebo patch, and 3) 24 weeks of active varenicline + 24 weeks of active patch.

Both treatment modifications, longer duration therapy and use of a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) adjuvant, have produced some quite promising effects. However, in both cases these modifications have been little researched, their effects are not consistently positive, and they have not been implemented in a potentially optimal manner. We will implement each modification in an innovative manner designed to enhance its effectiveness. In addition, all participants will be given counseling that supports adherent medication use and that is readily translatable to healthcare settings. The scientific rigor of this work will be enhanced by the use of placebo medication, a large sample, and a factorial design. The latter will allow us to test both the main and interaction effects of the experimental factors. We will also be able to compare each enhanced treatment with standard 12-week varenicline-only therapy to determine whether any of these medication use strategies significantly enhances treatment effectiveness.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1251
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Varenicline + Patch Standard DurationVareniclineStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill once daily (QD) on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill twice daily (BID) Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Nicotine Patches: Patches (Nicotine): 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then 10 weeks post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 11 and 12; Placebo patches weeks 13-24
Varenicline Only Standard DurationVareniclineStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Placebo Patches: Placebo patches for 2 weeks prequit and for weeks 1-24 post-quit
Varenicline Only Standard DurationPlacebo PatchStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Placebo Patches: Placebo patches for 2 weeks prequit and for weeks 1-24 post-quit
Varenicline Only Standard DurationPlacebo PillStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Placebo Patches: Placebo patches for 2 weeks prequit and for weeks 1-24 post-quit
Varenicline Only Extended DurationPlacebo PatchExtended Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5, 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1, and 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 22 Extended Condition Placebo Patches: Placebo patches for 2 weeks prequit and for weeks 1-24 post-quit
Varenicline + Patch Standard DurationNicotine patchStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill once daily (QD) on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill twice daily (BID) Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Nicotine Patches: Patches (Nicotine): 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then 10 weeks post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 11 and 12; Placebo patches weeks 13-24
Varenicline + Patch Standard DurationPlacebo PatchStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill once daily (QD) on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill twice daily (BID) Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Nicotine Patches: Patches (Nicotine): 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then 10 weeks post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 11 and 12; Placebo patches weeks 13-24
Varenicline + Patch Standard DurationPlacebo PillStandard Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill once daily (QD) on Days -7 to -5; 0.5 mg pill twice daily (BID) Days -4 to -1; 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 11; Placebo Pill weeks 12-23 BID Standard Condition Nicotine Patches: Patches (Nicotine): 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then 10 weeks post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 11 and 12; Placebo patches weeks 13-24
Varenicline + Patch Extended DurationNicotine patchExtended Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5, 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1, and 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 22 Extended Condition Nicotine Patches: 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then weeks 1-22 post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 23 and 24 post-quit.
Varenicline + Patch Extended DurationVareniclineExtended Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5, 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1, and 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 22 Extended Condition Nicotine Patches: 14 mg Patches for 2 weeks prequit and then weeks 1-22 post-quit, then 7 mg patches for Weeks 23 and 24 post-quit.
Varenicline Only Extended DurationVareniclineExtended Condition Varenicline: 0.5 mg pill QD on Days -7 to -5, 0.5 mg pill BID Days -4 to -1, and 1 mg pill BID Days 1 to Week 22 Extended Condition Placebo Patches: Placebo patches for 2 weeks prequit and for weeks 1-24 post-quit
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
52-Week Point-Prevalence AbstinenceAssessed 52 weeks after quit date

Biochemically-confirmed self-reported total abstinence from any cigarette use (even a single puff) for the seven days preceding the target follow-up day, confirmed with an exhaled carbon monoxide reading of less than or equal to 5 ppm.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
23-Week Point-Prevalence AbstinenceAssessed 23 weeks after quit date

Biochemically confirmed self-reported total abstinence from any cigarette use (even a single puff) for the seven days preceding the target follow-up day, confirmed with an exhaled carbon monoxide reading of less than or equal to 5 ppm.

52-Week Prolonged AbstinenceAssessed 52 weeks after quit date

Biochemically confirmed self-reported total abstinence from any cigarette use (even a single puff) from week 2 post-quit through week 52 post-quit, confirmed with an exhaled carbon monoxide reading of less than or equal to 5 ppm.

23-Week Prolonged AbstinenceAssessed 23 weeks after quit date

Biochemically confirmed self-reported total abstinence from any cigarette use (even a single puff) from week 2 post-quit through week 23 post-quit, confirmed with an exhaled carbon monoxide reading of less than or equal to 5 ppm.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention

🇺🇸

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

UW Center For Tobacco Research and Intervention

🇺🇸

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

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