Trial reportBMC medicine2014
Combining varenicline and nicotine patches: a randomized controlled trial study in smoking cessation.
Trial report in BMC medicine, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01538394 (Randomized Double-blind Trial of Two Parallel Groups Design to Evaluate the Efficacy of Smoking Cessation With Combined), which is not on this map. Cited by 27 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Randomized Double-blind Trial of Two Parallel Groups Design to Evaluate the Efficacy of Smoking Cessation With Combined (Varenicline Plus Nicotine Patches) Versus Monotherapy (Varenicline Plus Placebo Patches)
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 58 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of combined varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy compared with varenicline or nicotine replacement therapy alone for smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Pooled it
- Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Cessation classification likelihood increases with higher expired-air carbon monoxide cutoffs: a meta-analysis.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2021Pooled it
- Smoking cessation interventions for potential use in the lung cancer screening setting: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2019Pooled it
- Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Combination therapy of varenicline with nicotine replacement therapy is better than varenicline alone: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC public health · 2015Pooled it
- Time-varying mediated effects of the nicotine patch on smoking before and after a quit attempt when it is added to varenicline and counseling.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2026Trial
- Varenicline and Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smokers Admitted to Hospitals: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2024Trial
- Economic Evaluation of Enhanced vs Standard Varenicline Treatment for Tobacco Cessation.JAMA network open · 2024Trial
- Effect of Combination Treatment With Varenicline and Nicotine Patch on Smoking Cessation Among Smokers Who Drink Heavily: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Impact of large-scale distribution and subsequent use of free nicotine patches on primary care physician interaction.BMC public health · 2017Trial
- Bupropion and naltrexone for smoking cessation: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics · 2016Trial
- Zonisamide Reduces Withdrawal Symptoms But Does Not Enhance Varenicline-Induced Smoking Cessation.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2016Trial
- Combination Treatment With Varenicline and Nicotine Patch on Smoking Cessation Outcomes in Heavy Drinkers at 26-Week Follow-up.Journal of clinical psychopharmacologyTrial
- Multi-ancestral genome-wide association study of clinically defined nicotine dependence reveals strong genetic correlations with other substance use disorders and health-related traits.Psychological medicine · 2025Article
- Evidence-Based Guideline for the Treatment of Smoking Cessation Provided by the National Health Insurance Service in Korea.Korean journal of family medicine · 2024Article
- Varenicline Combined With Oral Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Smartphone-Based Medication Reminders for Smoking Cessation: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR formative research · 2023Article
- Prevalence and predictors of smoking cessation among smokers receiving smoking cessation intervention in primary care in Qatar: a 6-month follow-up study.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Study title: A systematic review of RCTs to examine the risk of adverse cardiovascular events with nicotine use.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSome smokers may benefit from a therapy that combines different nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) or drugs with different mechanisms of action.The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the combined therapy of varenicline and nicotine patches versus varenicline monotherapy.
methodsThree hundred forty-one smokers who smoked 20 or more cigarettes per day were recruited from a smoking cessation clinic between February 2012 and June 2013. The participants were randomized to receive a varenicline plus nicotine patch of 21 mg every 24 hours (170) or varenicline plus a placebo patch (171). All of the smokers received a standard 12-week course of varenicline and an 11-week course of either the placebo patch or the active patch after the target quit day. Both groups received behavioral support. The primary outcome was continuous abstinence for weeks 2 through 12 confirmed by exhaled levels of carbon monoxide. Post hoc subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the treatment effects for a specific endpoint in subgroups of smokers.
resultsThe combination of the nicotine patch with varenicline was not associated with higher rates of continuous abstinence at 12 weeks (39.1% versus 31.8%; odds ratio (OR) 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8 to 2.6) and 24 weeks (32.8% versus 28.2%; OR 1.17; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.9). When participants were analyzed by subgroups according to cigarette consumption, the abstinence rates among smokers who smoked more than 29 cigarettes per day at 12 weeks (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.5) and 24 weeks (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8) were significantly higher in the combination group. Other post hoc analyses based on level of dependence and previous quit attempts did not show subgroup differences. No differences between the groups for the reported adverse events were observed (χ2 value 0.07; P 0.79).
conclusionsThe combination of varenicline with the nicotine patch does not improve abstinence rates at 12 and 24 weeks compared with varenicline used as monotherapy when all smokers were analyzed as a whole, independent of consumption level.
trial registrationThis study is registered at clinicaltrial.gov (NCT01538394).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.