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Post Acute Cardiac Event Smoking (PACES) Study

Secondary Prevention Following Acute Coronary Syndrome Using Integrated Smoking Cessation and Mood Management

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03413423
Enrollment
233
Registered
2018-01-29
Start date
2018-01-29
Completion date
2026-05-30
Last updated
2025-09-15

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

Conditions

Acute Coronary Syndrome, Tobacco Use

Keywords

smoking, depression, Behavioral Activation, Mood management, Secondary Prevention

Brief summary

Summary of the Project : Quitting smoking following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can reduce mortality up to 50%. However, depression and smoking are highly co-morbid and depressed mood may interfere with cessation and independently predicts mortality. Thus, a single, integrated treatment for both smoking and depression could be highly effective in reducing post-acute coronary syndrome mortality. Behavioral Activation (BA) is a well established treatment for depression and has recently shown promise as a treatment for smoking cessation. The investigators systematically developed an intervention integrating gold standard smoking cessation counseling with existing BA based mood management techniques for post-ACS smokers; Behavioral Activation Treatment for Cardiac Smokers (BAT-CS). Objective: For this R01 the investigators will evaluate the efficacy of using a single, integrated treatment that targets both depressed mood and smoking (BAT-CS).

Detailed description

This project will implement a fully powered efficacy trial enrolling 324 smokers with ACS and randomize them to 12 weeks of either Behavioral Activation Treatment for Cardiac Smokers (BAT-CS) or control condition (including contact match). BAT-CS interventions will focus on smoking cessation and mood management, while the control condition will focus on smoking cessation and general health education. Both groups will be offered the nicotine patch if medically safe. Follow-up assessments will be conducted at end-of-treatment (12 weeks post-discharge for index event), and 6, 9, and 12 months after hospital discharge. The occurrence of major adverse cardiac events and all-cause mortality will be tracked for up to 60 months post discharge.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALBAT-CS

All participants will receive one hour standard smoking cessation counseling during their hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome. Participants will be randomized 1 week after discharge. Those assigned to BAT-CS condition will receive 5 more counseling sessions over the 12 weeks after discharge. The first will be up to one hour and will be conducted in person. The next 4 sessions will occur by phone and will take about 30 minutes. Post-discharge sessions will be focused on smoking cessation and mood management using behavioral activation techniques. Participants will be offered the nicotine patch if medically cleared.

BEHAVIORALSmoking Cessation and Health & Wellness

All participants will receive one hour of standard smoking cessation counseling during their hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome. Participants will be randomized 1 week after discharge. Those assigned to the Smoking Cessation plus Health and Wellness condition will receive 5 more counseling sessions over the 12 weeks after hospital discharge. The first will be up to one hour and will be conducted in person. The next 4 sessions will occur over the phone and will take about 30 minutes. Post-discharge sessions will be focused on smoking cessation and didactic health and wellness education. Participants will be offered the nicotine patch if medically cleared.

Sponsors

Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
CollaboratorOTHER
The Miriam Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
CollaboratorNIH
University of Minnesota
CollaboratorOTHER
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* hospital inpatients with an ACS diagnosis documented in medical record within the past 30 days * smoked equal or greater than 1 cigarette per day before being hospitalized * age of 18-75 years * English fluency * willing to consider quitting smoking at discharge * has a telephone or is willing to use a study issued cell phone * willing to consent to all study procedures.

Exclusion criteria

* limited mental competency * presence of severe mental illness that would interfere with participation or suicidality * expected discharge to hospice or greater than 50% chance of 6 month mortality per risk calculator * currently attending counseling for depression or smoking cessation.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
7-day point prevalence abstinence from smoking12 MonthsSelf-report of no smoking, not even a puff, for 7 days; then Bio-chemically confirmed with saliva cotinine or by carbon monoxide in a breath sample
Depression Symptoms12 MonthsThe 9 item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) ranges from 0-27 with higher scores indicating higher depression symptoms.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and all cause mortality5 yearsTime in days to MACE or all cause mortality. MACE = non-fatal myocardial infarction (using standard American Heart Association definitions), hospitalization for unstable angina, or urgent coronary revascularization.
Time to Smoking Lapse12 MonthsTime in days to first lapse (i.e., first puff of a cigarette) after discharge, which were determined through timeline follow back interviewing.
Depressed moodThe 10 item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale ranges from 0-30 with higher scores indicating higher depression symptoms.10 Item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD)
Health Related Quality of Life12 Months12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12)
Continuous Abstinence From Smoking Since Hospital Discharge12 MonthsNo smoking, not even a puff, since hospital discharge
Negative Affect12 MonthsAs measured by the 10 item Positive Affect Negative Affect Scales (PANAS). The negative affect scale on the PANAS ranges from 5-25 with higher scores indicating greater negative affect.
Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure12 MonthsResting Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
Blood Bio-markers12 MonthsHDL, LDL, High Sensitivity C-reactive protein, and Fibrinogen
Treatment Acceptability12 weeksClient Satisfaction Questionnaire
Positive Affect12 MonthsAs measured by the 10 item Positive Affect Negative Affect Scales (PANAS). The positive affect scale on the PANAS ranges from 5-25 with higher scores indicating greater positive affect.
Time to Smoking Relapse12 MonthsTime in days to first relapse (i.e., smoking on 7 consecutive days or smoking in 2 consecutive 7 day periods), which were determined through timeline follow back interviewing.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 19, 2026