RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effect of Electronic Cigarettes on Smoking Reduction and Cessation in Korean Male Smokers: A Randomized Controlled Study
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 567
OP 574
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.180384
VO 32
IS 4
A1 Seung-Hwa Lee
A1 Sang-Hyun Ahn
A1 Yoo-Seock Cheong
YR 2019
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/32/4/567.abstract
AB Introduction: New approaches to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as a form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may reduce the rates of tobacco-related disease and mortality. Therefore, we investigated the effect of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation compared with nicotine gum.Methods: A total of 150 subjects were randomly assigned to 2 groups and each was allocated a 12-week supply of either e-cigarettes or nicotine gum. The continuous abstinence rate, 7-day point prevalence of abstinence, smoking reduction rate and amount, and tolerability were evaluated.Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the effectiveness-related parameters of smoking cessation, such as 9- to 12-week, 9- to 24-week, and 12- and 24-week point prevalence of abstinence, between the 2 groups. However, although the reduction in cigarette smoking was similar, the proportion of subjects who showed smoking reduction at 24 weeks was higher in the e-cigarette group than the nicotine gum group. In addition, adverse events were significantly less frequent in the e-cigarette group than in the nicotine gum group.Conclusions: In our study, the effect of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation was similar compared with that of nicotine gum, a well-documented NRT. In addition, e-cigarettes were well tolerated by the study population. Therefore, the use of e-cigarettes as an NRT may be considered for smoking-cessation purposes. A large-scale prospective randomized controlled trial is necessary to clarify our results.