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Naltrexone effects on short-term and long-term smoking cessation
L S Covey1, A H Glassman, F Stetner
1New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University 10032, USA.
Journal of Addictive Diseases
|May 11, 1999
Summary
Naltrexone showed a trend towards higher smoking cessation rates at treatment end, particularly for women and those with depression history. However, these effects diminished by six months.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Smoking cessation remains a significant public health challenge.
- Long-acting opiate antagonists are being explored as potential aids for nicotine dependence.
- Individual differences in treatment response necessitate personalized approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of naltrexone as a smoking cessation aid.
- To compare naltrexone's effectiveness against a placebo in a randomized controlled trial.
- To investigate potential differential responses based on gender and depression history.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial involving 68 adult smokers.
- Participants received daily naltrexone or placebo for four weeks.
- Weekly individual smoking cessation therapy was provided to all subjects.
Main Results:
- A trend towards higher end-of-treatment cessation rates with naltrexone (46.7%) versus placebo (26.3%) was observed (p < .10).
- This difference attenuated at six-month follow-up (27% vs. 15%).
- Naltrexone appeared more effective for female smokers and those with a history of major depression, with sustained effects at six months.
Conclusions:
- Naltrexone demonstrates mild promise as a smoking cessation drug.
- Treatment response may vary significantly based on gender and prior depression history.
- Further research is warranted to explore personalized nicotine dependence treatments.