Bupropion SR als Unterstützung in der Raucherentwöhnung rückfälliger Raucher: Ergebnisse einer offenen multizentrischen Studie in Deutschland

BACKGROUND After initially successful smoking cessation the majority of patients relapse which stresses the addiction character of nicotine dependence. The patient and the physician, in therapeutic nihilism will not make another attempt for smoking cessation. In two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in the US and Canada relapsed smokers, who had initially successfully quit smoking under Bupropion SR (Zyban), were again treated with Bupropion SR for smoking cessation. The encouraging results prompted us to perform a study in Germany under the conditions and temporal restraints of a routine medical practice. METHODS/PATIENTS In this open multicentre study 321 patients of a total of 365 patients at 62 study sites were included. The patients represented a healthy population (= free of severe chronic disease) of smokers, who had relapsed after a smoking cessation attempt with Bupropion SR or nicotine replacement therapy and were currently smoking at least 20 cig./d for > 3 months. The treatment with Bupropion SR (300 mg/d) lasted 7 weeks, with initial run-in of 150 mg/d for the first three days; motivational counselling was provided during 4 clinical visits within the study duration of 26 weeks. RESULTS 55.4 % of the patients were heavily or very heavily nicotine dependent as detected by the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire (score 6 - 11). The continuous abstinence rates for week 4 - 7 were 29.6 % (ITT) the point prevalence rates for week 26 were 30.5 % (ITT). Patients who showed a relapse had less daily cigarette consumption even after 26 weeks (10.3 cig./d versus 26.9 cig./d pretreatment). Nicotine craving reached a low plateau not earlier than week 6. Bupropion SR was well tolerated, only 9.7 % of the patients (ITT) withdrew from the study due to an adverse event. The most frequent adverse events were pain of the musculoskeletal system and insomnia. CONCLUSIONS Bupropion SR was effective and well tolerated when given as an aid in smoking cessation in relapsed smokers.