Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Quitting Failure and Success With and Without Using Medication: Latent Classes of Abstinence and Adherence to Nicotine Monotherapy, Combination Therapy, and Varenicline.
Nonadherence to pharmacotherapies complicates studies of comparative pharmacotherapy effectiveness. Modeling adherence and abstinence simultaneously may facilitate analysis of both treatment acceptability and effectiveness. ⋯ This secondary analysis of adherence and abstinence in a comparative effectiveness trial shows that adherence is highest for the nicotine patch, next highest for varenicline, and lowest for combination nicotine patch and lozenge therapy due to low lozenge use. Distinct latent classes were found that varied in both first-month abstinence and adherence. Varenicline and combination NRT may not enhance abstinence over patch alone among smokers who take medication adherently. Adherent use of medication especially benefits those who are low in dependence and have positive quitting histories; it is less beneficial to at-risk smokers and members of racial minorities.