Hayden McRobbie1, Peter Hajek. 1. Tobacco Dependence Research Centre, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK. h.mcrobbie@ctru.auckland.ac.nz
Abstract
CONTEXT: Rapid smoking (RS) is a smoking cessation technique with sufficient indications of promise to warrant further investigation. The main presumed effect of RS is on reducing desire to smoke. AIM: To evaluate the effect of a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking on urges to smoke over the first week of abstinence. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Specialist smoking cessation clinic (SSCC). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 100 smokers attending the quit day session. INTERVENTION: Participants in the rapid smoking group underwent a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking. Participants in the control group watched a health promotion video on giving up smoking. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Ratings of urges to smoke in the first 24 hours and 1 week of abstinence. FINDINGS: The RS procedure was well tolerated. It led to significantly lower urges to smoke compared to the control procedure during the first 24 hours (mean rating of 2.6 versus 3.2, P < 0.001) and the first week of abstinence (1.8 versus 2.5, P < 0.01). In patients abstinent for 4 weeks, urges to smoke were low and the difference was no longer significant (1.4 versus 1.8). CONCLUSION: RS has an 'active ingredient' (craving reduction) and its effects on smoking cessation may merit further examination using modern rigorous methodology.
RCT Entities:
CONTEXT: Rapid smoking (RS) is a smoking cessation technique with sufficient indications of promise to warrant further investigation. The main presumed effect of RS is on reducing desire to smoke. AIM: To evaluate the effect of a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking on urges to smoke over the first week of abstinence. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Specialist smoking cessation clinic (SSCC). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 100 smokers attending the quit day session. INTERVENTION: Participants in the rapid smoking group underwent a single session of RS immediately prior to quitting smoking. Participants in the control group watched a health promotion video on giving up smoking. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Ratings of urges to smoke in the first 24 hours and 1 week of abstinence. FINDINGS: The RS procedure was well tolerated. It led to significantly lower urges to smoke compared to the control procedure during the first 24 hours (mean rating of 2.6 versus 3.2, P < 0.001) and the first week of abstinence (1.8 versus 2.5, P < 0.01). In patients abstinent for 4 weeks, urges to smoke were low and the difference was no longer significant (1.4 versus 1.8). CONCLUSION:RS has an 'active ingredient' (craving reduction) and its effects on smoking cessation may merit further examination using modern rigorous methodology.