Varenicline Combined With Oral Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Smartphone-Based Medication Reminders for Smoking Cessation: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Varenicline and oral nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) have each been shown to increase the likelihood of smoking cessation, but their combination has not been studied. In addition, smoking cessation medication adherence is often poor, thus, challenging the ability to evaluate medication efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of combined varenicline and oral NRT and smartphone medication reminders on pharmacotherapy adherence and smoking abstinence among adults enrolled in smoking cessation treatment. METHODS: A 2×2 factorial design was used. Participants (N=34) were randomized to (1) varenicline + oral NRT (VAR+NRT) or varenicline alone (VAR) and (2) smartphone medication reminder messages (REM) or no reminder messages (NREM) over 13 weeks. Participants assigned to VAR+REM received varenicline reminder prompts, and those assigned to VAR+NRT+REM also received reminders to use oral NRT. The other 2 groups (VAR+NREM and VAR+NRT+NREM) did not receive medication reminders. Participants were not blinded to intervention groups. All participants received tobacco cessation counseling. Smartphone assessments of smoking as well as varenicline and NRT use (if applicable) were prompted daily through the first 12 weeks after a scheduled quit date. Descriptive statistics were generated to characterize the relations between medication and reminder group assignments with daily smoking, daily varenicline adherence, and daily quantity of oral NRT used. Participants completed follow-up assessments for 26 weeks after the quit date. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly White (71%), and half were female (50%). On average, participants were 54.2 (SD 9.4) years of age, they smoked an average of 19.0 (SD 9.0) cigarettes per day and had smoked for 34.6 (SD 12.7) years. Descriptively, participants assigned to VAR+NRT reported more days of smoking abstinence compared to VAR (29.3 vs 26.3 days). Participants assigned to REM reported more days of smoking abstinence than those assigned to NREM (40.5 vs 21.8 days). Participants assigned to REM were adherent to varenicline on more days compared to those assigned to NREM (58.6 vs 40.5 days), and participants assigned to VAR were adherent to varenicline on more days than those assigned to VAR + NRT (50.7 vs 43.3 days). In the subsample of participants assigned to VAR+NRT, participants assigned to REM reported more days where ≥5 pieces of NRT were used than NREM (14.0 vs 7.4 days). Average overall medication adherence (assessed via the Medication Adherence Questionnaire) showed the same pattern as the daily smartphone-based adherence assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings indicated that smoking cessation interventions may benefit from incorporating medication reminders and combining varenicline with oral NRT, though combining medications may be associated with poorer adherence. Further study is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03722966; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03722966.

Sustainability of Palliative Care Principles in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit Using a Multi-Faceted Integration Model.

Objective(s): Understanding patient goals of care is essential in any setting, and especially so in an urban, safety net trauma centers' Surgical Intensive Care Units (SICU). This underscores the need for implementation of palliative care principles and practices, such as identification of surrogate decision makers, goals-of-care discussions, and CPR directives, in the SICU. Methods: A pragmatic, quality improvement study utilizing a retrospective, pre- and post-intervention continuum analysis. Interventions included a surgeon champion, resident education, and an electronic medical record template, called the Advanced Care Planning (ACP) Note, for use on daily rounds. We reviewed the charts of all adults admitted to the SICU before, during, and after these interventions to identify the incidence of surrogate decision maker documentation by SICU residents. Results: There was an early and enthusiastic adoption in ACP note utilization by SICU residents over the study period. Rates of documenting surrogate decision makers increased throughout the study period (p < 0.0001). Having an ACP note in the chart was associated with significantly higher rates of documented surrogate decision makers (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Through the integration of targeted education, standardization of an electronic medical record tool for palliative care documentation, and incorporation of palliative care goals into daily rounding ICU checklists, we significantly increased identification of surrogate decision makers in the SICU of our urban Level One trauma center. Chart review from one year post-intervention showed sustained commitment to the use of the ACP note and identification of surrogate decision makers.

Advance Care Planning in the Outpatient Geriatric Medicine Setting.

This article describes how to perform advance care planning in the outpatient geriatric medicine setting. The article defines advance care planning and discusses components of advance care planning, such as advance directives, do-not-resuscitate orders, and Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. The article describes how to document advance care planning discussions in the clinic and bill Medicare and ways for clinicians to improve their skill at leading these conversations.

Clinical Question: Nasal saline or intranasal corticosteroids to treat allergic rhinitis in children.

CLINICAL QUESTION: In pediatric populations, is nasal saline irrigation as effective as intranasal corticosteroids at relieving allergic rhinitis symptoms? ANSWER: No. Intranasal steroids are more effective than nasal saline alone to reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR) in children. Combination therapy further improves symptom reduction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE FOR THE ANSWER: B SEARCH TERMS: Allergic Rhinitis, Nasal Saline, Nasal corticosteroids, children younger than age 18. DATE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED: August and September 2014, October 2015. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, cohort studies, nasal spray, hypertonic saline solution, nasal lavage, rhinitis, intranasal administration, nasal saline, human, English language. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Antihistamines, Adults, Articles older than 2008.