Bupropion and naltrexone for smoking cessation: A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Combination of non-nicotine pharmacotherapies has been underexamined for cigarette smoking cessation. A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group double-dummy study evaluated two medications, bupropion (BUP) and naltrexone (NTX), in treatment-seeking cigarette smokers (N = 121) over a 7-week treatment intervention with 6-month follow-up. Smokers were randomized to either BUP (300 mg/day) + placebo (PBO) or BUP (300 mg/day) + NTX (50 mg/day). The primary outcome was biochemically verified (saliva cotinine, carbon monoxide) 7-day, point-prevalence abstinence. BUP + NTX was associated with significantly higher point-prevalence abstinence rates after 7-weeks of treatment (BUP + NTX, 54.1%; BUP + PBO, 33.3%), P = 0.0210, but not at 6-month follow-up (BUP + NTX, 27.9%; BUP + PBO, 15.0%), P = 0.09. Continuous abstinence rates did not differ, P = 0.0740 (BUP + NTX, 26.2%; BUP + PBO, 13.3%). Those receiving BUP + NTX reported reduced nicotine withdrawal, P = 0.0364. The BUP + NTX combination was associated with elevated rates of some side effects, but with no significant difference in retention between the groups.

Immunogenicity and smoking-cessation outcomes for a novel nicotine immunotherapeutic.

NicVAX, a nicotine vaccine (3'AmNic-rEPA), has been clinically evaluated to determine whether higher antibody (Ab) concentrations are associated with higher smoking abstinence rates and whether dosages and frequency of administration are associated with increased Ab response. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial (N = 301 smokers) tested the results of 200- and 400-µg doses administered four or five times over a period of 6 months, as compared with placebo. 3'AmNic-rEPA recipients with the highest serum antinicotine Ab response (top 30% by area under the curve (AUC)) were significantly more likely than the placebo recipients (24.6% vs. 12.0%, P = 0.024, odds ratio (OR) = 2.69, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14-6.37) to attain 8 weeks of continuous abstinence from weeks 19 through 26. The five-injection, 400-µg dose regimen elicited the greatest Ab response and resulted in significantly higher abstinence rates than placebo. This study demonstrates, as proof of concept, that 3'AmNic-rEPA elicits Abs to nicotine and is associated with higher continuous abstinence rates (CAR). Its further development as a treatment for nicotine dependence is therefore justified.

Exposure to nicotine and a tobacco-specific carcinogen increase with duration of use of smokeless tobacco.

BACKGROUND: Smokeless tobacco is an efficient delivery vehicle for nicotine and can contain significant amounts of carcinogens. However, few studies have examined factors that might moderate levels of nicotine or carcinogen exposure. AIMS: To determine the effect of duration of smokeless tobacco use on the uptake of nicotine and a tobacco-specific carcinogen, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). METHODS: Questionnaires on use of smokeless tobacco were administered, and urine samples from 212 smokeless tobacco users were analysed for biomarkers of uptake of nicotine and NNK. The biomarkers were cotinine and total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL). Male smokeless tobacco users were recruited for studies designed to investigate methods of reducing smokeless tobacco use. The questionnaire and biomarker data were obtained at baseline, prior to reduction. RESULTS: Levels of cotinine (p<0.001) and total NNAL (p<0.001) were significantly correlated with duration (in years) of use of smokeless tobacco products. Median cotinine and total NNAL were 2.4 and 2.1 times higher, respectively, in the > or = 21 years of use than in the 0-5 years of use category. CONCLUSIONS: Smokeless tobacco users adjust their intensity of use with experience in order to increase their nicotine dose, resulting in a corresponding increase in exposure to NNK, a powerful carcinogen. These results indicate the importance of educating smokeless tobacco users about the effects of prolonged use of these products.

Smokeless tobacco brand switching: a means to reduce toxicant exposure?

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of smokeless tobacco (ST) brand switching on biomarkers of ST exposure and on ST use. Subjects seeking treatment to reduce their use were randomized to ST brand switching with controlled ST topography, brand switching with ad libitum ST use, or a waitlist control with subsequent randomization to one of these two conditions. The waitlist control group was included to assess whether changes were a consequence of time effect. During the intervention, Copenhagen or Kodiak ST users were asked to switch to products that were sequentially lower in nicotine content: Skoal Long Cut Straight or Wintergreen for 4 weeks and then Skoal Bandits for the subsequent 4 weeks. Measures were obtained during the course of treatment and at 12-week follow-up. Significant reductions in total urinary cotinine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-L-(3-pyridyl)-L-butanol (NNAL) plus its glucuronides (total NNAL) were observed with no significant differences between the controlled topography and ad libitum conditions. Significant reductions were also observed in the amount and duration of dips with a significant intervention effect for durational measures. At 12 weeks, the 7-day biochemically-verified tobacco abstinent rate was 26% in the ad libitum group. ST brand switching may be a feasible alternative intervention for ST users interested in quitting but unwilling to stop ST use completely.

Biomarkers of tobacco exposure or harm: application to clinical and epidemiological studies. 25-26 October 2001, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Adverse outcomes from tobacco use may take decades to develop. Biomarkers are measures that can be used in the early stages of tobacco use to assess exposure to tobacco toxins or to predict adverse health outcomes with which they are associated. Examples of biomarkers include specific chemical components of tobacco or their metabolites; early biochemical, histological, or physiological effects; and early health effects. Mechanistically relevant and quantitatively valid biomarkers are essential for assessing the ultimate impact of new products, treatments, preventive measures, and public health policies on tobacco-related disease. The tobacco industry's recent introduction of a variety of new tobacco products or devices with implied claims of reduced health risks highlights the need to develop methods for assessing their potential for benefit or harm. A wide variety of biomarkers for tobacco exposure or harm has been studied. Although many questions about their use remain unanswered, substantial data exist regarding their validity and utility. This conference reviewed both the general issues surrounding biomarker use and the current state of knowledge regarding the most widely studied and promising biomarkers.

Progesterone treatment during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle: effects on smoking behavior in women.

The goals of this study were (1) to examine the feasibility of administering progesterone to women during the early follicular phase when the endogenous estradiol and progesterone levels are low, and (2) to investigate the effects of oral progesterone treatment on smoking behavior in female smokers. Twelve subjects had two experimental sessions, within 3-9 days after the beginning of their menses. In each experimental session, subjects received a single 200-mg dose of progesterone or placebo, orally. Two and a half hours after the medication treatment, subjects were assessed for subjective response to two puffs of a cigarette and then started the self-administration period in which they had the option to exchange their token for two puffs of cigarette, 15 min apart. Subjects had low levels of estradiol and progesterone before the first and second sessions. Plasma progesterone levels peaked in 2 h following progesterone treatment. Progesterone treatment attenuated the craving for and subjective effects from smoking. Under progesterone treatment, there was a trend for decreased smoking behavior. These preliminary results suggest that the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle may be a useful interval to investigate the effects of exogenous progesterone in female smokers. The effects of progesterone on nicotine dependence need to be studied further.

Depressive symptoms modulate the subjective and physiological response to cocaine in humans.

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between the presence of subclinical depressive symptoms and physiological and subjective responses to smoked cocaine in humans. Cocaine users without major depression, who participated in various inpatient studies, received a single 0.4 mg/kg of smoked cocaine. When the relationship between the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores and various subjective and physiological responses to cocaine was examined, similar trends were found. Low BDI scores of 0-7 were associated with a smaller physiological and subjective cocaine response. In contrast, BDI ranges of 8-13 were associated with enhanced cocaine response which plateaued or declined in the higher (> 14) BDI group. These group differences were not explained by sex or body weight differences among groups. The implication of these results is that the presence of depressive symptoms may affect cocaine use behavior partly by being associated with an enhanced response to cocaine.

Intravenous cocaine increases plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in humans.

Cocaine has been shown to activate the sympathoadrenal system in both animal and human studies. Controlled human studies have found inconclusive results regarding whether acute cocaine treatment elevates plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether commonly abused doses of cocaine increase plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in humans, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Five male cocaine users were given an intravenous injection of 0.46 mg/kg dose of cocaine or placebo, on two consecutive days. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were significantly increased in response to cocaine injection compared to placebo. Peak plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were reached 3 and 12 min after cocaine injection, respectively. While changes in epinephrine levels following cocaine were correlated with systolic blood pressure and heart rate changes, changes in plasma norepinephrine were correlated with diastolic blood pressure and heart rate changes following cocaine administration. These results suggest that plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine can be used as a measure for cocaine induced sympathoadrenal system activation.

Effect of nonnicotine pharmacotherapy on smoking behavior.

Smoking-related disease is the single biggest preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, yet approximately 25% of Americans continue to smoke. Various dosage forms of nicotine replacement therapy increase smoking quit rates relative to placebo, but they generally do not result in 1-year quit rates of over 20%. To increase these rates, a number of nonnicotine agents have been investigated. Drugs that modulate noradrenergic neurotransmission (bupropion, nortriptyline, moclobemide) are more effective than those affecting serotonin (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, buspirone, ondansetron) or other neurotransmitters.

Acute abstinence effects following smoked cocaine administration in humans.

Acute abstinence symptomatology following multiple deliveries of smoked cocaine was examined. Twelve crack cocaine users (male and female) participated in an inpatient study. Participants smoked 7 deliveries of cocaine on each of 4 experimental days, with each participant being exposed twice to 2 dose sizes of cocaine (0.40 vs. 0.07 mg/kg "placebo"). Symptoms of cocaine abstinence were measured for 6 hr following cocaine administration and again the following morning. Participants reported feeling increased craving, anxiety, and uncertainty 30 min after the 7th delivery of 0.40 mg/kg cocaine, when cocaine plasma levels were still on the descending curve. It is not clear whether these were true abstinence effects or were due to residual effects of cocaine. No significant differences were found at subsequent abstinence-assessment points. These data indicate that acute abstinence effects from smoked cocaine in a laboratory setting may be minimal.

Individual differences in the subjective response to smoked cocaine in humans.

The individual variables that determine the effects of cocaine in humans are not well understood. In this study, we examined the relationship between the subjective response to cocaine and selected individual variables in cocaine-dependent participants. A single 0.4-mg/kg dose of smoked cocaine was received by 75 smoked cocaine users. The variables associated with increased subjective response to cocaine were male sex, presence of alcohol use, higher baseline Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, and duration of cocaine use. The change in heart rate and diastolic blood pressure in response to cocaine delivery were also positively associated with the subjective response to cocaine. In contrast, body weight, years of schooling, and the change in the heart rate with the expectation of cocaine delivery were associated with a diminished subjective response to cocaine. The importance of these variables in maintaining the cocaine use behavior needs to be studied further.

Characteristics of research volunteers for inpatient cocaine studies: focus on selection bias.

In order to investigate the selection bias of subjects for inpatient human cocaine studies, characteristics of 859 potential subjects were examined. Excluded subjects compared with accepted group were more likely to be single and male, currently use drugs other than cocaine, have a history of intravenous cocaine use, and have medical or mental health problems or physical complaints. Subjects who were accepted but did not participate, compared with participants, were likely to spend more money on cocaine. These results suggest that potential subjects who were accepted to our research studies may not accurately represent all potential subjects for several important subject characteristics.

Carvedilol affects the physiological and behavioral response to smoked cocaine in humans.

The noradrenergic system is implicated in mediating some of the physiological effects of cocaine. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether treatment with an adrenergic blocker, carvedilol, which would be expected to attenuate the physiological effects of cocaine, would also attenuate the subjective and behavioral response to cocaine in humans. Twelve crack cocaine users participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled outpatient study. Acute treatment with 50 mg of oral carvedilol attenuated the smoked cocaine-induced increases in heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The number of cocaine self-administrations was lower under 25 mg carvedilol treatment condition compared with 50 mg carvedilol or placebo treatment conditions. The subjective responses to smoked cocaine deliveries were not affected by carvedilol treatment. These results suggest that acute treatment with carvedilol attenuates the physiological effects of smoked cocaine. The effects of carvedilol on cocaine self-administration need to be studied further.

Treatment of spit tobacco users with transdermal nicotine system and mint snuff.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of nicotine patch and mint snuff (a nonnicotine product) on craving, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment outcome. This study involved a 2 x 2 factorial design, with Active Nicotine Versus Placebo Patch as one of the factors and Mint Snuff Versus No Mint Snuff as the other factor. Spit tobacco users (N = 402, n = 100-101 in each condition) were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 treatment conditions for a period of 10 weeks. Treatment outcome was measured up to 62 weeks. The results showed that the nicotine patch was effective in increasing short-term abstinence over the placebo patch and in reducing craving and withdrawal signs and symptoms from spit tobacco. Although mint snuff was not effective in enhancing treatment outcome, it reduced craving and withdrawal symptoms. No interaction effects were observed. At this time, the use of the nicotine patch and mint snuff should be primarily considered for the reduction of craving and withdrawal symptoms.

Effects of labetalol treatment on the physiological and subjective response to smoked cocaine.

Adrenergic receptors mediate some of the physiological and possibly behavioral effects of cocaine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of treatment with a peripherally acting adrenergic blocking drug labetalol on the cardiovascular and subjective response to repeated deliveries of smoked cocaine. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 12 cocaine users were treated with a single 100 or 200 mg dose of labetalol, or placebo in each of three experimental sessions. Starting 2 h after the medication treatment, subjects received three doses of 0.4 mg/kg smoked cocaine, 30 min apart. Labetalol treatment significantly attenuated the cocaine-induced increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure. This effect of labetalol on the cardiovascular response did not decrease with repeated cocaine deliveries. The subjective response to smoked cocaine deliveries was not affected by labetalol treatment. These results suggest that labetalol effectively attenuates the systolic blood pressure and heart rate increases induced by repeated doses of smoked cocaine, but does not alter subjective effects.

Predictors of cardiovascular response to smoked cocaine in humans.

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of heart rate and blood pressure changes following cocaine administration. Sixty-two smoked cocaine users received a single 0.4 mg/kg dose of smoked cocaine. Male sex, African American race, higher body weight and current marijuana use predicted a greater cardiovascular response to cocaine. In contrast, higher baseline blood pressure, heart rate, amount and frequency of current cocaine use and presence of current cocaine snorting predicted a diminished cardiovascular response to cocaine. Whether these predictors of the cardiovascular response to smoked cocaine in the laboratory also predict cardiovascular complications from long-term cocaine use needs to be studied further.

Sex and menstrual cycle differences in the subjective effects from smoked cocaine in humans.

To investigate sex and menstrual cycle effects in response to cocaine administration, data from existing studies were analyzed. First, responses to a single delivery of 0.4 mg/kg smoked cocaine were investigated. Women reported lower ratings for measures of paranoid/suspicious and heart racing/pounding than did men. In addition, women in the luteal phase reported diminished ratings for a measure of feel high than did both women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and men. Second, responses to up to 6 deliveries of 0.4 mg/kg smoked cocaine were investigated. Women, compared with men, had lower ratings on feel high, heart racing/pounding, and feel stimulated. Results suggest that there are significant sex and menstrual phase differences in the subjective effects of cocaine.