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Effectiveness of a Smoking Cessation Algorithm Integrated Into HIV Primary Care

Effectiveness of a Smoking Cessation Algorithm Integrated Into HIV Primary Care

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03670316
Enrollment
371
Registered
2018-09-13
Start date
2020-08-17
Completion date
2025-06-30
Last updated
2026-05-22

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

Conditions

AIDS, HIV, Smoking Cessation

Brief summary

To determine the efficacy of an algorithm designed to recommend smoking cessation-related pharmacotherapy options to the primary care providers of smokers living with HIV/AIDS.

Detailed description

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the United States. Whereas smoking has declined significantly among individuals in the general population, it is clustered in populations of vulnerable individuals such as people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) in whom smoking prevalence rates and resulting comorbidity rates remain high. Medical advances in the treatment of HIV have resulted in substantial increases in life expectancy among PLWH and as a consequence PLWH smokers are now, more than ever, at heightened risk for tobacco-related illnesses and death. PLWH smokers engaged in treatment lose more years of life due to smoking now than to HIV disease. Although PLWH smokers engaged in HIV care typically see a medical provider every 4-6 months, smoking cessation treatment and referral is often not part of routine HIV care. While 94% of HIV treatment providers indicated that they would be willing to provide smoking cessation services to their patients, few have received training in how to provide smoking cessation services. With seven first line pharmacotherapies available for smoking cessation, development of algorithms to assist providers in selecting the most appropriate pharmacotherapy is an important but untested strategy to increase smoking cessation in PLWH. The purpose of this proposal is to conduct a mixed efficacy/effectiveness trial comparing an algorithm treatment with prescription cost off sets and quit line referral (AT) to an enhanced Treatment as Usual (quit line referral only; eTAU) group. Six hundred PLWH smokers will be recruited at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Washington, and Fenway Health HIV clinics and will be randomized to receive AT or eTAU. All AT smokers will receive active treatment for twelve weeks regardless of stated motivation or intention to quit. eTAU smokers will be referred to quit line services and HIV providers may elect to treat smoking as part of standard of care. Participants will remain in the study for 12 months.

Interventions

DRUGAlgorithm Treatment

Varenicline was selected as the first line of treatment for patients willing to take a medication twice per day and wanting cessation. Following varenicline, bupropion and then NRT are subsequent options. In terms of preference for NRT, nicotine patches would be the first option followed by lozenge, gum, inhaler, and nasal spray. The order of NRT within the algorithm is based upon patient familiarity and number of clinical trials supporting their use. Combination NRT (e.g., patch and lozenge) or adding NRT to varenicline or bupropion is offered to participants who have made an unsuccessful quit attempt with these medications in the past. If none of these medications are appropriate, then the participant is offered counseling only.

OTHERQuitline only

eTAU participants will complete the same algorithm questions but will not have this information sent to their provider, although their provider may elect to prescribe medication as part of standard of care. Participants will be referred to a quitline for behavioral support services for cessation.

Sponsors

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Lead SponsorOTHER
University of Washington
CollaboratorOTHER
Harvard University
CollaboratorOTHER
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Participants will be randomized to either the Algorithm Treatment plus referral to a quitline (AT) or the quitline alone condition (eTAU).

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

1. Enrollment in the CNICS clinical cohort. 2. 18 years or older; 3. Receiving HIV care at the UAB, UW or Fenway Health clinics and not anticipating changing clinics over the next six months 4. Smoking greater than or equal to 5 cigarettes per day (cpd) for the past month 5. Living in an unrestricted environment that allows smoking.

Exclusion criteria

1. Cognitive impairment such that unable to provide informed consent; 2. Non-English speaking; 3. Acutely suicidal, manic, acutely intoxicated, or otherwise not stable enough to provide informed consent; 4. Currently receiving smoking cessation treatment.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
7-day Point-prevalence Abstinence6 monthsSelf-report of cigarette smoking in the last 7 days

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Cigarettes Per Day6 monthsNumber of cigarettes reported being smoked per day
Number of Participants Who Attempt to Not Smoke for 24-Hours at 6 Months6 monthsAttempt to not smoke for 24 hours
Number of Prescriptions Written by 6-months6 monthsThe count of participants who had a smoking cessation prescription written

Countries

United States

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic
Age, Continuous49.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.16
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
7 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
168 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
190 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
13 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
157 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
35 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
149 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
4 / 1863 / 184
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 1865 / 184
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 1860 / 184

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 23, 2026