Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study limitations and (lack of/unclear allocation concealment) and by suspected publication bias.
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 35 studies with a total of 5 796 subjects assessing the efficacy of tobacco cessation interventions, including counselling, and pharmacotherapy consisting of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or non-NRT, or the two combined. Pharmacotherapy and combined intervention increased tobacco abstinence, but counselling alone did not (table T1; low quality evidence). Interventions were significantly associated with tobacco abstinence for both people in treatment and people in recovery, and for people with alcohol dependence and people with other drug dependencies. Offering tobacco cessation therapy in treatment or recovery for other drug dependence was not associated with a difference in abstinence rates from alcohol and other drugs (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.03; 11 studies, n=2231, moderate heterogeneity I²=66%).
| Outcome (abstinence assessed with biochemical validation) | Relative effect(95% CI) | Risk with placebo or usual care | Risk with tobacco cessation interventions (95% CI) | No of participants(studies) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tobacco abstinence after counselling Follow-up: 6 weeks to 12 months | RR 1.33(0.90 to 1.95) | 47 per 1000 | 62 per 1000(42 to 91) | 1759(11) |
| Tobacco abstinence after pharmacotherapy Follow-up:8 weeks to 6 months | RR 1.60(1.22 to 2.12) | 79 per 1000 | 126 per 1000(96 to 167) | 1808(11) |
| Tobacco abstinence after combined counselling and pharmacotherapy Follow-up: 13 weeks to 18 months | RR 1.74(1.39 to 2.18) | 92 per 1000 | 160 per 1000(128 to 201) | 2229(12) |
Date of latest search: 2 August 2016
Primary/Secondary Keywords