[Use of medication in combination with a modern group programme for smoking cessation]. / Anwendung von Medikamenten in Kombination mit einem modernen Gruppenprogramm zur Tabakentwöhnung.

This study examined the acceptance, use and -adherence with regard to stop-smoking medication in addition to a smoking cessation programme. In a multi-centre field study with quasi-experimental control group design, the participants of a smoking cessation programme were asked about their smoking behaviour at the beginning and at the end of the course. A sample of 1 319 participants was contacted via telephone one year after the end of the course. Among the 1 052 participants, who could be interviewed, 312 subjects (29.7%) reported to have used stop-smoking medication while 85.2% of the medication users preferred nicotine replacement therapy. The objective medication adherence was 13.2%. 79.3% of the medication users believed that they had used the medication adherently. There were no significant differences between participants who started use of medication and non-users (long-term abstinence rate: no medication 34.6% vs. medication 31.7%; p=0.34). The outcome of a modern smoking cessation group programme could not be improved by providing additional stop-smoking medication. This finding and the lack of medication adherence raise doubts about the effectiveness of offering stop-smoking medication in addition to an intensive cognitive-behavioural-based smoking cessation programme that focusses on behavioural changes.

Smoking cessation in groups--who benefits in the long term?

The 'Rauchfrei Programm' is the most widespread cognitive behavioral group program for smoking cessation in Germany. The aim of this study was to evaluate smoking cessation in the routine care setting and to investigate whether certain characteristics predict long-term abstinence. The study is a longitudinal field study with a one group pre-post-follow-up design. Participants were 1319 smokers, who were asked to complete questionnaires before and after the program. Twelve months later, participants were followed-up by phone. 48.1% of participants attended every session. At the end of the program, 60.9% of the participants were smoke-free. After one year, the abstinence rate accounted for 31.8% (Intention-to-treat). A logistic regression analysis showed that male gender, higher age, being married, lower level of nicotine dependence as well as adherence to the program significantly increased the likelihood of abstinence, whereas education and employment did not. No significant influence of self-payment on the rates of abstinence was observed. It is concluded that the modern smoking cessation program is highly recommendable as it achieves sufficient abstinence rates in a real-life setting. However, it still remains a challenge to increase adherence rates and to achieve comparable success rates in smokers with different characteristics.

The effects of repeated administration of camphor-crataegus berry extract combination on blood pressure and on attentional performance - a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

The present study investigated the effects of repeated administration of Korodin(®), a combination of camphor and crataegus berry extract, on blood pressure and attentional functioning. This study was conducted based on a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design. 54 persons participated (33 female, 21 male) with a mean age of 24.3 years. Blood pressure and body mass index were in the normal range. Participants received 20 drops of either Korodin(®) or a placebo for four times with interjacent time intervals of about 10 min. Blood pressure was measured sphygmomanometrically before and after each administration. Attentional performance was quantified by using two paper-and-pencil tests, the d2 Test of Attention and Digit Symbol Test. Greater increases in blood pressure occurred after the four Korodin(®) administrations in comparison to the four placebo administrations. The performance in two parameters of d2 Test of Attention was consistently superior after the intake of Korodin(®). The excellent tolerability and safety of Korodin(®), even after a total consumption of 80 drops, was confirmed.