Short-term efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The aim of this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial is to test the efficacy and safety of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in promoting end-of-treatment abstinence among adolescents and whether this relation is moderated by medication compliance. Participants (N=257, age: 16.7±1.13 years) attended an information meeting followed by a 6- or 9-week treatment. Self-reported smoking cessation, compliance, and side effects were measured by means of online questionnaires. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that independent of compliance, NRT is effective in promoting abstinence rates after 2 weeks (OR=2.02, 95% CI=1.11-3.69), but not end-of-treatment abstinence. However, end-of-treatment abstinence rates significantly increased in high-compliant (OR=1.09, 95% CI=1.01-1.17) and not in low-compliant participants. No serious adverse events were found. Future research is warranted to disentangle the process involving the decrease in abstinence rates and compliance rates from the third week after the quit date onwards.

Keywords: Adolescents; Nicotine patch; Randomized controlled trial; Smoking cessation.