Does utilization of electronic cigarettes facilitate smoking cessation compared to other interventions?

CLINICAL QUESTION: Does utilization of electronic cigarettes facilitate smoking cessation compared to other interventions? AUTHORS: Sarah Wolf MD, PGY-1; Senushi O'Sullivan MD, PGY-2;Roselynn Dean MD, PGY-3; Tomas Owens MD. FACULTY MENTOR: Tomas Owens, MD. RESIDENCY PROGRAM: Integris Great Plains Family Medicine Residency Program, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ANSWER: Debatable. With conflicting data and some evidence of e-cigarettes leading to on-going nicotine use, there is not a clear benefit to utilizing e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE FOR THE ANSWER: B. SEARCH TERMS: smoking cessation, electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes. DATE SEARCH WAS CONCLUDED: 24 April 2019 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Studies directly comparing smoking cessation with utilization of electronic cigarettes compared to control group. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Studies that were systematic reviews, published since 2015, and studies comparing smoking cessation with anything other than electronic cigarettes.