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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Dec;46(3):336-48.
doi: 10.1007/s12160-013-9510-x.

Factors associated with discontinuation of bupropion and counseling among African American light smokers in a randomized clinical trial

Nicole L Nollen  1 , Matthew S Mayo, Jasjit S Ahluwalia, Rachel F Tyndale, Neal L Benowitz, Babalola Faseru, Taneisha S Buchanan, Lisa Sanderson Cox
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Factors associated with discontinuation of bupropion and counseling among African American light smokers in a randomized clinical trial

Nicole L Nollen et al. Ann Behav Med. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

Background: African Americans are at risk of inadequate adherence to smoking cessation treatment, yet little is known about what leads to treatment discontinuation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with discontinuation of treatment in African American light smokers (≤10 cigarettes per day).

Methods: Bupropion plasma levels and counseling attendance were measured among 540 African American light smokers in a placebo-controlled randomized trial of bupropion.

Results: By week 3, 28.0 % of subjects in the bupropion arm had discontinued bupropion, and only moderate associations were found between the plasma levels and self-reported bupropion use (r s = 0.38). By week 16, 36.9 % of all subjects had discontinued counseling. Males had greater odds of discontinuing medication (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.10-3.71, p = 0.02), and older adults had lower odds of discontinuing counseling (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94-0.97, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Bupropion and smoking cessation counseling are underutilized even when provided within the context of a randomized trial. Future research is needed to examine strategies for improving treatment utilization among African American smokers.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00666978.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest Statement

Dr. Benowitz serves as a consultant to Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and has been a paid expert witness in litigation against tobacco companies; no Pfizer funds were used in this work. Dr. Tyndale has consulted for Novartis and McNeil.

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