Extended nortriptyline and psychological treatment for cigarette smoking.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Nicotine and Nortriptyline.

Low rates may reflect failure to provide extended and multifocal treatment for this complex and chronic addiction.

Using a chronic disease model of smoking, the authors undertook a study to determine the effects of long-term antidepressant and psychological treatment.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, both men and women.

One hundred sixty smokers of > or =10 cigarettes/day were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions in a two-by-two (nortriptyline versus placebo by brief versus extended treatment) design.

All subjects received 8 weeks of a transdermal nicotine patch, five group counseling sessions, and active or placebo treatment.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Nicotine and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Nicotine, giving a reference point.

Interventions for subjects in brief treatment ended at this point.

Subjects were assessed at baseline and weeks 12, 24, 36, and 52.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Administration, Cutaneous, Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic, Behavior Therapy, Combined Modality Therapy, Counseling, Nicotine and Nortriptyline.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and placebo-controlled study of Nicotine and Nortriptyline.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 3 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2004 (The American journal of psychiatry), a journal based in United States.

More context: the related Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) library page, all human trials.