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Highdose Nicotine Patch Therapy for Smokeless Tobacco Use

Highdose Nicotine Patch Therapy for Smokeless Tobacco Use

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00939029
Enrollment
52
Registered
2009-07-14
Start date
2010-07-31
Completion date
2013-06-30
Last updated
2014-05-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Smokeless Tobacco Use

Keywords

tobacco use, smokeless tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff, nicotine replacement, tobacco dependence, tobacco cessation, tobacco abstinence

Brief summary

Smokeless tobacco use (chewing) is associated with negative health effects. To date, no medications have been shown to help chewers quit long-term. High dose nicotine patch therapy may improve the chances that chewers can quit for good. If found to be effective, chewers may use this treatment to help them quit and reduce their risk for negative health effects.

Detailed description

Approximately 8.2 million (3.3%) of Americans ≥ 12 years of age are current smokeless tobacco (ST) users, and the prevalence of ST use has increased over the past three years. ST is increasingly being promoted as a harm reduction strategy for cigarette smoking, and two of the world's largest cigarette manufacturers have entered the ST market. ST use is estimated to be the greatest exogenous source of human exposure to cancer-causing nitrosamines. ST has been associated with oral and extra-oral cancer as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality. A need for efficacious interventions exists as 64% of ST users report the desire to quit. However, no pharmacotherapy has proven efficacy for increasing long-term (\> 6 months) tobacco abstinence rates among ST users compared to placebo. New pharmacotherapies, drug combinations, and improved dosing of existing pharmacotherapies are needed. Previous research with nicotine patches for ST users using standard doses (up to 21 mg/day) have not increased long-term abstinence rates. However, studies of higher dose nicotine patch therapy (up to 63 mg/day) in ST users have demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in tobacco withdrawal symptoms as well as preliminary evidence of increased long-term (\> 6 months) abstinence rates compared to lower doses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of high dose nicotine patch therapy (42 mg/day) for increasing the 7-day point prevalence and prolonged all tobacco and ST abstinence rates at end-of-treatment (week 8), 12 and 24 weeks compared to placebo in ST users who use ≥ 3 cans/pouches per week when all subjects receive behavioral treatment for tobacco dependence. To accomplish our aims, we will randomize 60 ST users in a clinical pilot study. The work will be conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Interventions

2- 21 mg patches per day for 8 weeks

2 placebo patches (containing no active ingredient)per day for 8 weeks

Sponsors

Mayo Clinic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. are at least 18 years of age and at most 55 years of age; 2. report daily ST use for the past 12 months; 3. identify ST as their primary tobacco product; 4. use an average of ≥ 3 cans/pouches per week; 5. are in general good health (determined by medical history and screening physical examination); 6. have been provided with, understand, and have signed the informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

1. are currently using (past 30 days) any other behavioral or pharmacologic tobacco treatment program; 2. are currently pregnant or lactating; 3. have had unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or coronary angioplasty within the past 3 months; 4. have a history of arrhythmia or an abnormal tracing on the baseline EKG; 5. have a blood pressure of greater than 140/90 or a pulse of more than 110 beats per minute; 6. have a history of severe skin allergies or dermatoses; 7. have a history of intolerance to nicotine patches; 8. have another member of their household already participating in this study; 9. are taking a medication known to interact with nicotine (i.e., clozapine); 10. are taking any prescription medication for depression or asthma

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
End of Treatment (Week 8) Point Prevalence Abstinenceweeks 87 day point prevalence abstinence at the end of treatment, biochemically confirmed by urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Point-prevalence Abstinence at 3 Monthsweek 127 day point prevalence abstinence from tobacco at 3 months, biochemically confirmed using urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml
Point-prevalence Abstinence at 6 Monthsweek 247 day point prevalence abstinence from all tobacco at 6 months, biochemically confirmed using urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Active
2 nicotine patches each at 21 mg/day for a total of 42 mg/day for 8 weeks nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patches): 2- 21 mg patches per day for 8 weeks
25
Placebo
2 patches (containing non active ingredients) per day for 8 weeks placebo NRT: 2 placebo patches (containing no active ingredient)per day for 8 weeks
27
Total52

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyAdverse Event01
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up34
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject37

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicActivePlaceboTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
25 Participants27 Participants52 Participants
Age, Continuous39.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.1
35.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.5
37.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.4
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Caucasian, Hispanic
2 participants1 participants3 participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Caucasian, non-Hispanic
23 participants26 participants49 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
25 Participants27 Participants52 Participants
Smokeless tobacco use4.6 cans or pouches per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.8
4.0 cans or pouches per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.3
4.3 cans or pouches per week
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.6

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
7 / 254 / 27
serious
Total, serious adverse events
1 / 250 / 27

Outcome results

Primary

End of Treatment (Week 8) Point Prevalence Abstinence

7 day point prevalence abstinence at the end of treatment, biochemically confirmed by urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml

Time frame: weeks 8

Population: intention to treat

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
ActiveEnd of Treatment (Week 8) Point Prevalence Abstinence11 participants
PlaceboEnd of Treatment (Week 8) Point Prevalence Abstinence6 participants
p-value: 0.0590% CI: [1, 7.5]Regression, Logistic
Secondary

Point-prevalence Abstinence at 3 Months

7 day point prevalence abstinence from tobacco at 3 months, biochemically confirmed using urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml

Time frame: week 12

Population: intention to treat

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
ActivePoint-prevalence Abstinence at 3 Months12 participants
PlaceboPoint-prevalence Abstinence at 3 Months5 participants
p-value: 0.01490% CI: [1.4, 11.6]Regression, Logistic
Secondary

Point-prevalence Abstinence at 6 Months

7 day point prevalence abstinence from all tobacco at 6 months, biochemically confirmed using urinary anabasine \< 2 ng per ml.

Time frame: week 24

Population: intention to treat

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
ActivePoint-prevalence Abstinence at 6 Months11 participants
PlaceboPoint-prevalence Abstinence at 6 Months7 participants
p-value: 0.08790% CI: [0.8, 6]Regression, Logistic

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026