SynthesisBMJ open2021
Smoking cessation in individuals who use vaping as compared with traditional nicotine replacement therapies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 9 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Vaping cessation interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Tobacco control · 2026Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- E-cigarettes and nicotine abstinence: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2022Pooled it
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Randomized clinical studies assessing the pharmacokinetics and subjective effects of vuse alto electronic nicotine delivery systems.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Longitudinal analysis of geographical inequalities in retail density of tobacco and nicotine vapour products in Scotland, 2020-2024.Preventive medicine reports · 2026Article
- Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: An overview of systematic reviews and evidence and gap map.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Review
- Review
- "If I could try it, I'd try it": Qualitative study of the illegal vaping culture in Singapore.Addictive behaviors reports · 2024Article
- Review
- Nicotine Vaping Expectancies: Organization and Activation in Memory Based on Vaping Use Patterns.Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs · 2024Article
- Cigarette Smoking Abstinence Among Pregnant Individuals Using E-Cigarettes or Nicotine Replacement Therapy.JAMA network open · 2023Article
- Article
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 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesDespite the aggressive marketing of electronic nicotine device systems (ENDS) as smoking cessation tools, the evidence of their effectiveness is mixed. We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials to determine the effect of ENDS on cigarette smoking cessation, as compared with other types of nicotine replacement therapies (NRT).
designSystematic review and meta-analysis using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, Embase, the CENTRAL Trials Registry of the Cochrane Collaboration using the Ovid interface, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform trials registries were searched through 17 June 2020. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDIES: Randomised controlled trials in which any type of ENDS was compared with any type of NRT, in traditional cigarette users. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The primary outcome was smoking cessation, defined as abstinence from traditional cigarette smoking for any time period, as reported in each included study, regardless of whether abstinence is self-reported or biochemically validated. Secondary outcomes included smoking reduction, harms, withdrawal and acceptance of therapy. A random-effect model was used, and data were pooled in meta-analyses where appropriate.
resultsSix studies were retained from 270. Most outcomes were judged to be at high risk of bias. The overall quality of evidence was graded as 'low' or 'very low'. Pooled results showed no difference in smoking cessation (rate ratio (RR) 1.42, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.09), proportion of participants reducing smoking consumption (RR 1.25, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.98), mean reduction in cigarettes smoked per day (mean difference 1.11, 95% CI -0.41 to 2.63), or harms (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.20), between groups.
conclusionWe found no difference in smoking cessation, harms and smoking reduction between e-cigarette and NRT users. However, the quality of the evidence was low. Further research is needed before widespread recommendations are made with regard to the use of ENDS. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: Systematic review registration number: protocol registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on February 27
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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.