-
1.
Highlights of Studies in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Presented at the 2020 American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session.
Jia, X, Al Rifai, M, Liu, J, Agarwala, A, Gulati, M, Virani, SS
Current atherosclerosis reports. 2020;(8):32
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The review highlights selected studies related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention that were presented at the American College of Cardiology 2020 Virtual Scientific Session (ACC.20)/World Cardiology Congress (WCC). RECENT FINDINGS The studies reviewed include clinical trials on the efficacy and safety of alirocumab (Study in Participants with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia [ODYSSEY HoFH]) and evinacumab in the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH); Evaluating the Efficacy of E-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation (E3); the use of renal denervation in the treatment of hypertension (SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED PIVOTAL); and the assessment of vericiguat in the treatment of heart failure (A Study of Vericiguat in Participants with Heart Failure with Reduce Ejection Fraction [VICTORIA]). In addition, results from the pooled analysis of phase III trials on inclisiran and secondary analysis examining eicosapentaenoic acid levels and cardiovascular outcomes from the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl-Intervention Trial (REDUCE-IT) were included. Finally, we discuss studies examining the use of polygenic risk score with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) on lifetime cardiovascular risk. The studies presented at the ACC.20/WCC represent notable contributions in the field of CVD prevention.
-
2.
Identifying contexts and mechanisms in multiple behavior change interventions affecting smoking cessation success: a rapid realist review.
Minian, N, Corrin, T, Lingam, M, deRuiter, WK, Rodak, T, Taylor, VH, Manson, H, Dragonetti, R, Zawertailo, L, Melamed, OC, et al
BMC public health. 2020;(1):918
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smoking continues to be a leading cause of preventable chronic disease-related morbidity and mortality, excess healthcare expenditure, and lost work productivity. Tobacco users are disproportionately more likely to be engaging in other modifiable risk behaviours such as excess alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and poor diet. While hundreds of interventions addressing the clustering of smoking and other modifiable risk behaviours have been conducted worldwide, there is insufficient information available about the context and mechanisms in these interventions that promote successful smoking cessation. The aim of this rapid realist review was to identify possible contexts and mechanisms used in multiple health behaviour change interventions (targeting tobacco and two or more additional risk behaviours) that are associated with improving smoking cessation outcome. METHODS This realist review method incorporated the following steps: (1) clarifying the scope, (2) searching for relevant evidence, (3) relevance confirmation, data extraction, and quality assessment, (4) data analysis and synthesis. RESULTS Of the 20,423 articles screened, 138 articles were included in this realist review. Following Michie et al.'s behavior change model (the COM-B model), capability, opportunity, and motivation were used to identify the mechanisms of behaviour change. Universally, increasing opportunities (i.e. factors that lie outside the individual that prompt the behaviour or make it possible) for participants to engage in healthy behaviours was associated with smoking cessation success. However, increasing participant's capability or motivation to make a behaviour change was only successful within certain contexts. CONCLUSION In order to address multiple health behaviours and assist individuals in quitting smoking, public health promotion interventions need to shift away from 'individualistic epidemiology' and invest resources into modifying factors that are external from the individual (i.e. creating a supportive environment). TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42017064430.
-
3.
Impact and implementation of Healthy Life Centres, a primary-care service intervention for behaviour change in Norway: Study design.
Blom, EE, Oldervoll, L, Aadland, E, Solbraa, AK, Skrove, GK
Scandinavian journal of public health. 2020;(6):594-601
Abstract
Aims: This ongoing study is investigating the implementation and long-term impact of Healthy Life Centres (HLCs), a primary-care service intervention for behaviour change in Norway. The primary aim is to study changes in objectively measured physical activity (PA) levels following a HLC intervention in the short (three months) and long term (15 months). Furthermore, the study is evaluating determinants concerning implementation and adaption of the HLC intervention that influence reach and impact on participants outcomes. Methods: This prospective observational study includes 32 HLCs from four different geographical regions in Norway. Subjects aged ⩾18 years were invited to participate. The study has a pre-post design with a 15-month follow-up. The HLC intervention is a three-month individualised program, containing personal consultations and group-based behaviour-specific courses on PA, diet and smoking cessation. Data collection consists of registration of objectively measured PA level, physical examinations, interviews and questionnaires. In addition, HLC organisation, offers, professions and resources are being examined. The Reach, Efficacy/Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework is being applied to study the external validation of the HLC intervention. The study enrolled 1020 participants who gave their written informed consent. Post-tests and follow-up data collection is still ongoing and will continue until August 2019. Conclusions: By exploring the HLC intervention in a real-world setting and addressing the elements of RE-AIM, this study will contribute to an improved understanding and development of effective primary-care behaviour interventions such as the HLC model. The strengths of the study are the large sample size and the many HLCs and regions included.
-
4.
Interventions to reduce tobacco use in people experiencing homelessness.
Vijayaraghavan, M, Elser, H, Frazer, K, Lindson, N, Apollonio, D
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. 2020;(12):CD013413
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
BACKGROUND Populations experiencing homelessness have high rates of tobacco use and experience substantial barriers to cessation. Tobacco-caused conditions are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among people experiencing homelessness, highlighting an urgent need for interventions to reduce the burden of tobacco use in this population. OBJECTIVES To assess whether interventions designed to improve access to tobacco cessation interventions for adults experiencing homelessness lead to increased numbers engaging in or receiving treatment, and whether interventions designed to help adults experiencing homelessness to quit tobacco lead to increased tobacco abstinence. To also assess whether tobacco cessation interventions for adults experiencing homelessness affect substance use and mental health. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO for studies using the terms: un-housed*, homeless*, housing instability, smoking cessation, tobacco use disorder, smokeless tobacco. We also searched trial registries to identify unpublished studies. Date of the most recent search: 06 January 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA We included randomized controlled trials that recruited people experiencing homelessness who used tobacco, and investigated interventions focused on the following: 1) improving access to relevant support services; 2) increasing motivation to quit tobacco use; 3) helping people to achieve abstinence, including but not limited to behavioral support, tobacco cessation pharmacotherapies, contingency management, and text- or app-based interventions; or 4) encouraging transitions to long-term nicotine use that did not involve tobacco. Eligible comparators included no intervention, usual care (as defined by the studies), or another form of active intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We followed standard Cochrane methods. Tobacco cessation was measured at the longest time point for each study, on an intention-to-treat basis, using the most rigorous definition available. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for smoking cessation for each study where possible. We grouped eligible studies according to the type of comparison (contingent reinforcement in addition to usual smoking cessation care; more versus less intensive smoking cessation interventions; and multi-issue support versus smoking cessation support only), and carried out meta-analyses where appropriate, using a Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model. We also extracted data on quit attempts, effects on mental and substance-use severity, and meta-analyzed these outcomes where sufficient data were available. MAIN RESULTS We identified 10 studies involving 1634 participants who smoked combustible tobacco at enrolment. One of the studies was ongoing. Most of the trials included participants who were recruited from community-based sites such as shelters, and three included participants who were recruited from clinics. We judged three studies to be at high risk of bias in one or more domains. We identified low-certainty evidence, limited by imprecision, that contingent reinforcement (rewards for successful smoking cessation) plus usual smoking cessation care was not more effective than usual care alone in promoting abstinence (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.16 to 2.77; 1 trial, 70 participants). We identified very low-certainty evidence, limited by risk of bias and imprecision, that more intensive behavioral smoking cessation support was more effective than brief intervention in promoting abstinence at six-month follow-up (RR 1.64, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.69; 3 trials, 657 participants; I2 = 0%). There was low-certainty evidence, limited by bias and imprecision, that multi-issue support (cessation support that also encompassed help to deal with other challenges or addictions) was not superior to targeted smoking cessation support in promoting abstinence (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.61; 2 trials, 146 participants; I2 = 25%). More data on these types of interventions are likely to change our interpretation of these data. Single studies that examined the effects of text-messaging support, e-cigarettes, or cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation provided inconclusive results. Data on secondary outcomes, including mental health and substance use severity, were too sparse to draw any meaningful conclusions on whether there were clinically-relevant differences. We did not identify any studies that explicitly assessed interventions to increase access to tobacco cessation care; we were therefore unable to assess our secondary outcome 'number of participants receiving treatment'. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is insufficient evidence to assess the effects of any tobacco cessation interventions specifically in people experiencing homelessness. Although there was some evidence to suggest a modest benefit of more intensive behavioral smoking cessation interventions when compared to less intensive interventions, our certainty in this evidence was very low, meaning that further research could either strengthen or weaken this effect. There is insufficient evidence to assess whether the provision of tobacco cessation support and its effects on quit attempts has any effect on the mental health or other substance-use outcomes of people experiencing homelessness. Although there is no reason to believe that standard tobacco cessation treatments work any differently in people experiencing homelessness than in the general population, these findings highlight a need for high-quality studies that address additional ways to engage and support people experiencing homelessness, in the context of the daily challenges they face. These studies should have adequate power and put effort into retaining participants for long-term follow-up of at least six months. Studies should also explore interventions that increase access to cessation services, and address the social and environmental influences of tobacco use among people experiencing homelessness. Finally, studies should explore the impact of tobacco cessation on mental health and substance-use outcomes.
-
5.
The provision of preventive care for modifiable health risk behaviours by clinicians within substance use treatment settings: A systematic review.
Tremain, D, Freund, M, Wolfenden, L, Bowman, J, Dunlop, A, Bartlem, K, Bailey, J, McFadyen, T, Dray, J, Wye, P, et al
Preventive medicine. 2020;:105870
Abstract
People who use substances have a high prevalence of other modifiable health risk behaviours such as tobacco smoking which contribute to an increased mortality and morbidity. Preventive care can reduce the prevalence of such behaviours and is recommended by clinical practice guidelines. This review describes the prevalence of preventive care delivery by substance use treatment healthcare providers and examines differences by treatment setting. Five databases were searched for studies published between 2005 and 2017. Eligible studies reported levels of preventive care (assessment, brief advice and/or referral/follow-up) in substance use treatment services for tobacco smoking, nutrition or physical activity. Two reviewers independently conducted article screening, data extraction and methodological quality assessment. Sixteen studies were included and all except one investigated care provision for tobacco smoking only. Four studies reported care levels as a proportion and 12 studies reported care as a score-based mean. Client-reported receipt of smoking cessation care ranged from: 79-90% for assessment; 15-79% for brief advice; 0-30% for referral/follow-up. Meta-regression analyses of 12 studies found clinician-reported preventative care for tobacco smoking was more frequently reported in studies assessing care occurring across multiple substance use treatment settings, compared to studies reporting provision in inpatient only. This review indicated that, compared to smoking cessation care, little is known about the level of preventive care for nutrition or physical activity. Overall, the delivery of smoking cessation care reported was sub-optimal. High levels of assessment relative to brief advice and low levels of referral to ongoing assistance were indicated.
-
6.
Brief handgrip and isometric exercise intervention for smoking cessation: A pilot randomized trial.
Cheung, YT, Lam, TH, Chan, CHH, Ho, KS, Fok, WYP, Wang, MP, Li, WHC
Addictive behaviors. 2020;:106119
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Isometric exercises reduce craving, negative affect, and withdrawal symptoms during smoking cessation. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was the first to test if a brief intervention using a handgrip and isometric exercises including hand pushing/pulling was feasible and efficacious to increase tobacco abstinence at 6-month. METHODS This was a single-blinded, 2-arm pilot RCT in 6 community-based smoking cessation clinics in Hong Kong. Smokers who consumed 10 or more cigarettes a day and were receiving cessation services were randomized to the exercise group (n = 108) who received a free handgrip and a leaflet about handgrip exercise, and watched a 5-minute video, or to the healthy-diet group (n = 100) who receive a similar dosage of intervention on healthy diet. The primary outcome was self-reported abstinence in the previous 4 weeks at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS In the exercise group, about 36% reported doing the exercises when craving at 2-month follow-up. No significant difference in quit rate was found between groups (34% vs. 39%, OR = 0.80, P = .40). A posteriori analysis on the exercise group showed that self-reported exercises when craving (49% vs. 26%, OR = 2.69, 1.18-6.15, P = .02) and total adherence (including doing the exercises when craving, once a day, and/or for 2 weeks) (53% vs. 23%, OR = 3.70, 1.15-11.92, P = .03) were significantly associated with self-reported abstinence. CONCLUSIONS The brief handgrip/isometric exercise intervention was feasible and achieved modest adherence without offering incentives or mandatory reminders. Preliminary evidence of benefits was observed in the intervention group if the exercises were done when craving. IMPLICATIONS Our study indicates that a brief exercise intervention, including a free handgrip and educational video, was feasible for smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment. It was particularly efficacious in increasing tobacco abstinence when exercise adherence was high. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT02844296).
-
7.
N-acetylcysteine for cessation of tobacco smoking: rationale and study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
Arancini, L, Bortolasci, CC, Dodd, S, Dean, OM, Berk, M
Trials. 2019;(1):555
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tobacco smoking is a highly prevalent, addictive behaviour and a key public health priority. However available cessation therapies have low quit and high relapse rates, indicating an urgent need for more effective treatments. Predicated on promising preclinical and pilot clinical data, this paper presents a rationale and protocol for the trial of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as a novel anti-craving smoking cessation aid. METHODS Current smokers (n = 120) of at least 10 cigarettes a day are recruited through online advertisements, print publications and dissemination of flyers. Participants are randomised on a 1:1 ratio to receive either 16-week treatment of 1.8 g/day of NAC or placebo with all participants receiving quit support from the online QuitCoach tool. Participants are attending visits at baseline, 8 and 16 weeks with a 42-week post-discontinuation follow-up. The primary outcome measure is sustained abstinence at six months after treatment based on self-reported rating scales and confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide and salivary cotinine levels. Secondary outcomes are timing of the first lapse and relapse, between-group cigarette consumption, withdrawal symptoms, general wellbeing and mood/anxiety symptoms. Between-group differences in adverse events and subgroup analyses for variables including gender and Diagnostic Statistics Manual 5 diagnostics will also be investigated. DISCUSSION The planned trial addresses an issue of major importance to human health and, if an effect is shown, may result in substantial changes to the management of smoking and nicotine addiction with overt public health implications. TRIAL REGISTRATION Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry (ANZCTR), ACTRN12617001478303 . Registered on 19 October 2017.
-
8.
Smoking cessation opportunities in severe mental illness (tobacco intensive motivational and estimate risk - TIMER-): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Jaén-Moreno, MJ, Feu, N, Redondo-Écija, J, Montiel, FJ, Gómez, C, Del Pozo, GI, Alcalá, JÁ, Gutiérrez-Rojas, L, Balanzá-Martinez, V, Chauca, GM, et al
Trials. 2019;(1):47
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is an increased risk of premature death in people with severe mental illness (SMI). Respiratory disorders and cardiovascular disease are leading causes of increased mortality rates in these patients, and tobacco consumption remains the most preventable risk factor involved. Developing new tools to motivate patients towards cessation of smoking is a high priority. Information on the motivational value of giving the lung age and prevention opportunities is unknown in this high-risk population. METHODS/DESIGN This article describes in detail a protocol developed to evaluate an intensive motivational tool, based on the individual risks of pulmonary damage and prevention opportunities. It is designed as a randomized, 12-month, follow-up, multicenter study. A minimum of 204 smokers will be included, aged 40 years and older, all of whom are patients diagnosed with either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (BD). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be evaluated using spirometry, and the diagnosis will then be validated by a pneumologist and the lung age estimated. Based on this value, a motivational message about prevention will be issued for the intervention group, which will be reinforced by individualized text messages over a period of 3 months. The efficacy of the method and the pulmonary damage variables will be evaluated: smoking cessation at the end of follow-up will be confirmed by cooximetry, and the COPD diagnosis and the severity of the staging for disease will be assessed. DISCUSSION In the context of community care, screening and early detection of lung damage could potentially be used, together with mobile technology, in order to produce a prevention message, which may provide patients with SMI with a better chance of quitting smoking. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03583203 . Registered on 11 July 2018. Trial status: recruitment.
-
9.
A clinical trial to evaluate the effect of the Mediterranean diet on smokers lung function.
Martín-Luján, F, Catalin, RE, Salamanca-González, P, Sorlí-Aguilar, M, Santigosa-Ayala, A, Valls-Zamora, RM, Martín-Vergara, N, Canela-Armengol, T, Arija-Val, V, Solà-Alberich, R
NPJ primary care respiratory medicine. 2019;(1):40
Abstract
Data on the association between lung function and some dietary patterns have been published. However, it is not yet well known if whether the Mediterranean Diet (MD) pattern can preserve or improve lung function. Our purpose is to evaluate the effect of increased MD adherence on lung function in smokers. A multicenter, parallel, cluster-randomized, controlled clinical trial is proposed. A total of 566 active smokers (>10 packs-year), aged 25-75 years will be included, without previous respiratory disease and who sign an informed consent to participate. Twenty Primary Care Centres in Tarragona (Spain) will be randomly assigned to a control or an intervention group (1:1). All participants will receive advice to quit smoking, and the intervention group, a nutritional intervention (2 years) designed to increase MD adherence by: (1) annual visit to deliver personalized nutritional education, (2) annual telephone contact to reinforce the intervention, and (3) access to an online dietary blog. We will evaluate (annually for 2 years): pulmonary function by forced spirometry and MD adherence by a 14-item questionnaire and medical tests (oxidation, inflammation and consumption biomarkers). In a statistical analysis by intention-to-treat basis, with the individual smoker as unit of analysis, pulmonary function and MD adherence in both groups will be compared; logistic regression models will be applied to analyze their associations. We hope to observe an increased MD adherence that may prevent the deterioration of lung function in smokers without previous respiratory disease. This population may benefit from a dietary intervention, together with the recommendation of smoking cessation.
-
10.
Current and Emerging Pharmacotherapies for Cessation of Tobacco Smoking.
Gómez-Coronado, N, Walker, AJ, Berk, M, Dodd, S
Pharmacotherapy. 2018;(2):235-258
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
Tobacco use disorder is a chronic illness. With its high comorbidity rate, it is a major cause of years of life lost or years lived with disability; however, it is also considered the most preventable cause of death in developed countries. Since the development of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in 1978, treatment options have continued to evolve and expand. Despite this, currently available treatments remain insufficient, with less than 25% of smokers remaining abstinent 1 year after treatment. In this article, we review existing and emerging smoking cessation pharmacotherapies, with a special emphasis on the most promising agents that are currently being investigated. A search of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the PubMed, Ovid, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases (August 2 to September 1, 2017) was undertaken for articles on smoking cessation pharmacotherapies, applying no language restrictions. More than 40 pharmacotherapies were reviewed including conventional pharmacotherapies-NRT, bupropion, and varenicline (all approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as first-line treatment of smoking cessation)-and novel therapies: cytisine, N-acetylcysteine, cycloserine, memantine, baclofen, topiramate, galantamine, and bromocriptine. Studies of combination NRT and varenicline showed the greatest smoking cessation rates. Clonidine and nortriptyline are second-line treatments used when first-line treatments fail or are contraindicated, or by patient preference. Some novel therapies, especially acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, cytisine, and N-acetylcysteine, display promising results. Because the results of randomized clinical trials were reported using varied end points and outcome measures, direct comparisons between different pharmacotherapies cannot easily be evaluated. Additional high-quality randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials with long-term follow-up, using validated sustained abstinence measures, are needed to find more effective smoking cessation aids.