Tobacco Documents Online

American Medical Association I'h~,,wian> dt•dicated tu tht- health nfAmerica News Release EMI3ARGOED FOR RELEASE: 1:15 p.m. (ET) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1994 titedia Advisory: To contact or Michael C. Fiore, MD, MPH, 608/262-6343. FIRST TWO WEEKS CRUCIAL IN EFFORTS TO QUIT SMOKING I'otal abstinence during initial 14 days a strong predictor of success with nicotine patch therapy ti'FW YORK--~k'hether or not a person is totally abstinent during the first two weeks of smoking ,~cssatton pmgrams using the nicotine patch can determine whether they will be smoking six months I.iter, according to an article in this week's Journal of the American iViedical Association. Susan I.. Kenford and Michael C. Fiore, MD, MPH, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, and colleagues, identified predictors of smoking cessation success or failure in two different study groups using nicotine or placebo patches. Fiore presented the study at a media hrieting sponsored here today by the AMA and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. I'he study tound that among active nicotine patch patients who smoked at all during week two after yuitting, 83 percent in group one and 97 percent in group two were smoking at six-month follow-up. Conversely, abstinence during the second week of treatment predicted successful smoking cessation. Among active nicotine patch patients who were totally abstinent during week two after quitting, 46 percent of group one and 41 percent of group two were abstinent at six month follow-up. Of all nicotine patch patients in both studies who were smoking at six-month follow-up, 74 percent began smoking during week one or two. Among all placebo patch patients who were smoking at six-month follow-up, 86 percent began smoking during week one or two. 515 North State Street Chicago, Illinois 606 10 312 464 4430

(PA I'Cll) Dr. f:iore, director of the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, presented the study at an :l%1:1 meclia hric:fing on smoking cessation. I he rescarchers %~rite: "The analyses reveal one powerful prediction rule for clinicians: any umoking in the first t%ko %~eeks of treatment predicts both short-term and long-term failure, with %~eek t%~o ,ntoking being particularly predictive of outcome. By assessing the presence or ah,ence ot' an~ ~moking during the second week of treatment, clinicians can predict with good accurac%• whether the patient will or will not quit smoking." I hc researchers used two study groups consisting of daily smokers aged 21 to 65 4~ho smoked at Ica,t 1*~ ciuarettes a day. Fhere «ere 88 subjects in study group one, who underwent eight weeks of -~ -) milligram nicotine patch therapy with intensive group counseling. Study group two consisted of 112 5ubjects ~~ ho underwent four .veeks of 22 milligram nicotine patch therapy and two weeks of 1 1 milligram nicotine patch therapy with brief individual counseling. The study also used placebo Lroups. f3ased on their findinus, the researchers recommend to doctors: l Doctors should stress that total abstinence is central to a successful smoking cessation effort for most smokers. 2. Clinicians should "front load" smoking cessation counseling and support during the first two %%eeks after quitting. Among the patients using the nicotine patch, 74 percent of those who ultimately relapsed by six months began smoking in the first two weeks, so counseling and support is crucial during that time period. Outcome. ~ .}fr-,v ~. c: _ .. .~ ~ # ~D . ~ For more information: contact the AMA's Ray McNally at 312/464-4843. cn c~o ~