Concurrent varenicline and prolonged exposure for patients with nicotine dependence and PTSD: A randomized controlled trial.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide).

The current study examined whether integrating treatments for smoking cessation (varenicline plus smoking cessation counseling; VARCC) and PTSD (prolonged exposure therapy; PE) enhances smoking outcomes among smokers diagnosed with PTSD.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 142 adults were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

142 adults with nicotine dependence (ND) and PTSD were randomized to a treatment program consisting of varenicline, smoking cessation counseling, and PE (VARCC + PE) or to VARCC only.

Seven-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at posttreatment (3-months postquit day) and follow-up (6-months postquit day), verified by serum cotinine levels and exhaled carbon monoxide, was the primary smoking outcome.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

Because people in this Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Psychological outcomes were PTSD and depression severity.

Mixed effects models included baseline PTSD severity as a moderator of treatment condition effects.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Combined Modality Therapy, Counseling, Implosive Therapy, Nicotinic Agonists, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Smoking Cessation and Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in 142 adults.

Results are reported in around 6 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2017 (Journal of consulting and clinical psychology), a journal based in United States.

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