Effect of transdermal nicotine delivery as an adjunct to low-intervention smoking cessation therapy: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study

Article Abstract:

One of the barriers to quitting smoking is the cluster of symptoms produced by withdrawing from nicotine, which many smokers find intolerable. A nicotine-containing gum was developed to reduce these symptoms, but some patients have had problems with nausea and mouth discomfort with the gum. In recent years, systems for delivering drugs across the skin through the use of patches coated with the medications have become more widely used. A nicotine-containing patch was developed, and tried on a group of smokers attempting to quit to study its effectiveness. The 158 patients were divided into three groups. One third of them used 24-hour nicotine patches, one third used nicotine patches for the hours they were awake but removed them at bedtime, and one third wore placebo patches, which contained no nicotine. Overall, 39 percent of those with the 24-hour nicotine were able to quit for the last two weeks of the study, as were 35 percent of the daytime hours patch wearers, but only 13.5 percent of the placebo wearers were able to do so. Both groups whose patches contained nicotine experienced fewer nicotine withdrawal symptoms than the group with no nicotine. At six months, the 24-hour nicotine users maintained a 22 percent quit rate, while the daytime wearers had a 31 percent quit rate, and the placebo users had only an 8 percent quit rate. The difference between the two nicotine groups was not felt to be statistically significant. Perhaps a regimen of 24 hours of nicotine patches for the first few weeks followed by daytime hour wearing would provide an effective means of quitting for many smokers. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Physiological aspects, Smoking cessation programs, Transdermal medication, Nicotine, Smoking cessation, Transdermal drug delivery systems

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Combined Therapy with Azathioprine, Prednisolone, and Ursodiol in Patients with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Article Abstract:

Immunosuppressive drugs may be beneficial when combined with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. This disease affects the bile ducts and the liver. Researchers gave 15 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis the immunosuppressive drug azathioprine, the corticosteroid prednisolone, and UDCA. Signs of liver damage decreased in all patients, as determined by liver enzyme levels. Six showed improvement as determined by liver biopsies. Seven patients had not responded to UDCA alone.

Drug therapy, Cholangitis, Azathioprine, Ursodiol, Prednisolone

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