Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of transdermal nicotine patch for smoking cessation

Smoking cessation is an arduous process because nicotine withdrawal syndrome, which occurs following sudden interruption of nicotine use in long-term smokers, frequently prevents them from giving up the habit. Nicotine supplement systems may relieve smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms and, thus, help in the process of abstinence from smoking. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of a 30-mg transdermal nicotine patch in a smoking cessation program for Chinese smokers. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 30 heavy smokers, who had smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day for more than a year, were treated with 30-mg transdermal nicotine patches, and 32 heavy smokers were given placebo patches during a 6-week smoking cessation program. The clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar. After 6 weeks, the use of the transdermal nicotine patch was associated with markedly reduced nicotine dependence and severity of withdrawal symptoms. Nineteen (63%, 95% confidence interval, CI, 46%-80%) of the smokers treated with the transdermal nicotine patch had successfully quit smoking at the end of the program (6 weeks) and nine (30%, 95% CI 14%-46%) remained abstinent 1 year later. In contrast, only 11 (34%, 95% CI 18%-50%) of the smokers in the placebo group had successfully stopped smoking after 6 weeks, and three remained abstinent 1 year later (9%, 95% CI 0%-19%). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups of smokers after 1 year of follow-up (p = 0.08). Side-effects were minimal and did not affect the efficacy of the skin patch. The results indicate that the transdermal nicotine patch is an effective aid in smoking cessation programs.