Adherence to Varenicline and Abstinence Rates for Quitting Smoking in a Private Health Promotion Center-Based Smoking Cessation Clinic

Abstract

BackgroundVarenicline is an effective smoking cessation aid. However, smokers prescribed with varenicline do not always receive varenicline for 12 weeks, as recommended. This study analyzed the subjects who received varenicline and investigated the effect of varenicline treatment duration on the success rate of 6-month smoking cessation.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed 78 subjects, who received varenicline, out of the 105 smokers that had visited the smoking cessation clinic after medical examination from September 2007 to December 2009.ResultsThe subjects were all males. Twenty-two subjects (28.2%) had varenicline treatment for 12 weeks or longer; 18 subjects (23.1%) for 8~12 weeks; 22 subjects (28.2%) for 4~8 weeks; and 16 subjects (20.5%) for less than 4 weeks. The total success rate of the 6-month smoking cessation was 47.4%. The success rate of the 6-month smoking cessation was 63.6% in the group that received varenicline for 12 weeks or longer, which was higher than 41.1% of the group that early terminated the varenicline treatment (p=0.074). The period of varenicline treatment was extended for one more week, the odds ratio of the 6-month smoking cessation success increased to 1.172-folds (p=0.004; 95% confidence interval, 1.052~1.305). Adverse events occurred in 30.8% of the subjects who received varenicline, but no serious adverse events were found.ConclusionIf varenicline treatment period is extended, the odds ratio of the success rate for the 6-month smoking cessation increases. Therefore, an effort to improve drug compliance for varenicline in clinical practices could be helpful for the long-term success of smoking cessation.

Compliance and Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Program Started on Hospitalized Patients

“…The proportion of the patients having experienced the side-effects of varenicline was 24.0%. This was similar to the findings of Song et al 13) (32.3%) and Lee et al 14) (30.8%). That nausea was the most frequently experienced side-effect was also consistent with the findings of the other studies.…”

“… 6 7 8) The study published by the South Korean primary medical treatment center in 2012 also reported that the success rate of smoking cessation for 7 days in the 6th month among the patients who had taken the medicine for more than 12 weeks was 63.6%. 14) …”

A systematic review of studies assessing the association between adherence to smoking cessation medication and treatment success

“…The fact that relapse tends to occur early during a quit attempt (34) suggests that the first weeks of treatment are most important, but no firm conclusions can be drawn from the available literature. Identification of a minimum treatment duration (or amount of medication taken per day) for pharmacotherapy to be effective is important in order to design interventions that may increase adherence (35)(36)(37)(38).…”

Determining Smoking Cessation Related Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills among Opiate Dependent Smokers in Methadone Treatment

“…Proper adherence to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy is known to be low, even in general population samples of smokers, due to issues such as difficulty remembering to take the medication, managing side-effects, and following dosing instructions (Balmford, Borland, Hammond, & Cummings, 2011; Catz, et al, 2011; de Dios, Anderson, Stanton, Audet, & Stein, 2012; Etter & Schneider, 2013; Grassi et al, 2011; Hays, Leischow, Lawrence, & Lee, 2010; Lee et al, 2012; Liberman et al, 2013; Swan et al, 2010). Smoking cessation treatment clinical trials among methadone maintained smokers, specifically, have shown poor adherence to smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, and that pharmacotherapy adherence is related to smoking cessation outcomes (Richter, et al, 2005; Stein, Anderson, & Niaura, 2006; Stein, et al, 2013).…”