Correlates of improved outcomes in patients with COVID-19 treated in US emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic was managed in part by the rapid development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics including antiviral agents and advances in emergency airway and ventilatory management. The impact of these therapeutic advances on clinically pertinent metrics of emergency care have not been well-studied. METHODS: We abstracted data from emergency department (ED) visits made to 21 US health systems during the first two years of the pandemic, from February 1, 2020 to January 31, 2022. These health systems were participants in the NIH-supported COVID EHR Cohort, in which the University of Wisconsin served as the coordinating site. Limited patient-level data files were submitted monthly. Data elements included demographic and clinical variables, as well as standard measures of ED outcomes including 72-h returns, 72-h returns leading to readmission, and in-hospital mortality. Multivariable models were fitted to identify correlates of each of the dependent variables. A test for trend was used to detect changes in outcomes over time. RESULTS: During the two-year period, 150,357 individuals aged 18 years or older visited the ED. The median age was 45.4 years (IQR 27), 58.1 % were female, 49 % were White, 18.3 % Hispanic/Latino, and 45 % were publicly insured or uninsured. The prevalence of 72-h ED returns, readmissions, and in-hospital mortality significantly declined across the two-year period. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was associated with reduced ED returns and mortality. Therapeutic agents were associated with increased mortality risk but were likely confounded by unmeasured covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Operational and clinical outcomes of ED-based treatment of individuals with COVID-19 improved in the first two years of the pandemic. This improvement is likely multifactorial and includes the development and deployment of SARS-CoV-2-specific vaccines, therapeutic agents, and improved healthcare delivery in the ED and elsewhere addressing management of airway and ventilatory status, as well as increased innate immunity in the general population.

COVID-19 outcomes among patients with dementia and age-matched controls who were hospitalized in 21 US health-care systems.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 had devastating impacts worldwide. However, most research examining the impact of dementia on COVID-19 outcomes has been conducted in Europe and Asia and has not examined dementia subtypes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of electronic health record data from 21 US health-care systems examined relationships of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia with in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and hospital stay duration. RESULTS: All-cause dementia, but not AD or vascular dementia independently, was associated with increased mortality risk, the inclusion of discharge to hospice as a mortality equivalent increased risk for mortality for all-cause dementia, and AD and vascular dementia. Patients with all-cause dementia and AD were less likely to be admitted to the ICU than patients without. Patients with any form of dementia had longer hospital stays than patients without. DISCUSSION: Dementia was associated with increased mortality or hospice discharge, decreased ICU admissions, and longer hospital stays. HIGHLIGHTS: Only all-cause dementia was associated with increased mortality risk. This risk was lower than what has been published in previous research. Combining mortality and hospice discharge increased risk for all dementia subtypes. All-cause and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia were associated with decreased intensive care unit admissions. All-cause, vascular, and AD dementia were associated with longer hospital stays.

Factors associated with 60-day readmission among inpatients with COVID-19 at 21 United States health systems.

Identifying patients at risk for readmission after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection could facilitate care planning and prevention. This retrospective cohort study of 60-day readmission included 105 543 COVID-19 patients at 21 US healthcare systems who were discharged alive between February 2020 and November 2021. Generalized linear mixed regression analyses tested predictors of 60-day readmission and severity. The all-cause readmission rate was 15% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10%-21%), with 22% (95% CI = 18%-26%) of readmitted patients needing intensive care, and 6% (95% CI = 05%-07%) dying. Factors associated with readmission included male sex, government insurance, positive smoking history, co-morbidity burden, longer index admissions, and diagnoses at index admission (e.g., cancer, chronic kidney disease, and liver disease). Death and intensive care rates at readmission declined postvaccine availability. Receiving at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses, which were more common among older patients and those with comorbid conditions, was not independently associated with readmission but predicted a reduced risk of death at readmission. This retrospective cohort study identified factors associated with all-cause readmission for patients re-admitted to the same health system after hospitalization with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients who are male, who smoke, who have a higher comorbidity burden, and have government insurance may benefit from additional postacute care planning.

The Relationship of COVID-19 Vaccination with Mortality Among 86,732 Hospitalized Patients: Subpopulations, Patient Factors, and Changes over Time.

BACKGROUND: Information on COVID-19 vaccination effects on mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 could inform vaccination outreach efforts and increase understanding of patient risk. OBJECTIVE: Determine the associations of vaccination status with mortality in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study assessed the characteristics and mortality rates of adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across 21 healthcare systems in the USA from January 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients admitted to participating hospitals who had COVID-19 diagnoses and/or positive PCR tests and completed their hospital stay via discharge or death. MAIN MEASURE: In-hospital mortality vs. discharge (outcome) and patient age, sex, race, ethnicity, BMI, insurance status, comorbidities, and vaccination status extracted from the electronic health record (EHR). KEY RESULTS: Of 86,732 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 45,082 (52%) were female, mean age was 60 years, 20,800 (24%) were Black, and 22,792 (26.3%) had one or more COVID-19 vaccinations. Statistically adjusted mortality rates for unvaccinated and vaccinated patients were 8.3% (95% CI, 8.1-8.5) and 5.1% (95% CI, 4.8-5.4) respectively (7.9% vs. 4.5% with no immune compromise). Vaccination was associated with especially large reductions in mortality for obese (OR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.56-0.80) and severely obese (OR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.41-0.67) patients and for older patients (OR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99). Mortality likelihood was higher later in the study period (August 2021-January 31, 2022) than earlier (January 1, 2021-July 30, 2021) (OR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.04-1.17) and increased significantly for vaccinated patients from 4.6% (95% CI, 3.9-5.2%) to 6.5% (95% CI, 6.2-6.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients vaccinated for COVID-19 had reduced mortality, especially for obese/severely obese and older individuals. Vaccination's protective effect against mortality declined over time and hospitalized obese and older individuals may derive especially great benefit from prior vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tobacco Treatment Program Implementation at National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer screening and treatment delivery, but COVID-19's impact on tobacco cessation treatment for cancer patients who smoke has not been widely explored. AIMS AND METHODS: We conducted a sequential cross-sectional analysis of data collected from 34 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers participating in NCI's Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I), across three reporting periods: one prior to COVID-19 (January-June 2019) and two during the pandemic (January-June 2020, January-June 2021). Using McNemar's Test of Homogeneity, we assessed changes in services offered and implementation activities over time. RESULTS: The proportion of centers offering remote treatment services increased each year for Quitline referrals (56%, 68%, and 91%; p = .000), telephone counseling (59%, 79%, and 94%; p = .002), and referrals to Smokefree TXT (27%, 47%, and 56%; p = .006). Centers offering video-based counseling increased from 2020 to 2021 (18% to 59%; p = .006), Fewer than 10% of centers reported laying off tobacco treatment staff. Compared to early 2020, in 2021 C3I centers reported improvements in their ability to maintain staff and clinician morale, refer to external treatment services, train providers to deliver tobacco treatment, and modify clinical workflows. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to new telehealth program delivery of tobacco treatment for patients with cancer. C3I cancer centers adjusted rapidly to challenges presented by the pandemic, with improvements reported in staff morale and ability to train providers, refer patients to tobacco treatment, and modify clinical workflows. These factors enabled C3I centers to sustain evidence-based tobacco treatment implementation during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. IMPLICATIONS: This work describes how NCI-designated cancer centers participating in the Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I) adapted to challenges to sustain evidence-based tobacco use treatment programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work offers a model for resilience and rapid transition to remote tobacco treatment services delivery and proposes a policy and research agenda for telehealth services as an approach to sustaining evidence-based tobacco treatment programs.

Smoking Status, Nicotine Medication, Vaccination, and COVID-19 Hospital Outcomes: Findings from the COVID EHR Cohort at the University of Wisconsin (CEC-UW) Study.

INTRODUCTION: Available evidence is mixed concerning associations between smoking status and COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Effects of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and vaccination status on COVID-19 outcomes in smokers are unknown. METHODS: Electronic health record data from 104 590 COVID-19 patients hospitalized February 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021 in 21 U.S. health systems were analyzed to assess associations of smoking status, in-hospital NRT prescription, and vaccination status with in-hospital death and ICU admission. RESULTS: Current (n = 7764) and never smokers (n = 57 454) did not differ on outcomes after adjustment for age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance, body mass index, and comorbidities. Former (vs never) smokers (n = 33 101) had higher adjusted odds of death (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06-1.17) and ICU admission (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11). Among current smokers, NRT prescription was associated with reduced mortality (aOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50-0.82). Vaccination effects were significantly moderated by smoking status; vaccination was more strongly associated with reduced mortality among current (aOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.16-0.66) and former smokers (aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.39-0.57) than for never smokers (aOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.57, 0.79). Vaccination was associated with reduced ICU admission more strongly among former (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.66-0.83) than never smokers (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Former but not current smokers hospitalized with COVID-19 are at higher risk for severe outcomes. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is associated with better hospital outcomes in COVID-19 patients, especially current and former smokers. NRT during COVID-19 hospitalization may reduce mortality for current smokers. IMPLICATIONS: Prior findings regarding associations between smoking and severe COVID-19 disease outcomes have been inconsistent. This large cohort study suggests potential beneficial effects of nicotine replacement therapy on COVID-19 outcomes in current smokers and outsized benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in current and former smokers. Such findings may influence clinical practice and prevention efforts and motivate additional research that explores mechanisms for these effects.

The Bucket Approach: Developing and Implementing an On-line Training Program in Tobacco Dependence Interventions Tailored for Behavioral Health Clinicians.

People coping with a mental illness and/or addictive disorders have a very high prevalence of smoking cigarettes. The Bucket Approach, a free online training, tailors evidence-based tobacco dependence interventions for behavioral health clinicians to increase the likelihood that they will also address the tobacco use of their patients. From October 2019 through August 2021, 999 people enrolled in and 447 people completed the training. Individuals who completed the training evaluated it highly with an overall mean score of 8.4 (scale = 1 for very poor to 10 for very good). 3- and 6-month follow-up surveys documented continued impact. The training resulted in substantial changes in beliefs about treating tobacco dependence. For example, before training, 18.3% of trainees strongly agreed with the statement, "The skills currently possessed by behavioral health clinicians can be easily applied to the treatment of tobacco dependence." This increased to 40.7% at the end of training.

A comprehensive electronic health record-enabled smoking treatment program: Evaluating reach and effectiveness in primary care in a multiple baseline design.

Effective treatments for smoking cessation exist but are underused. Proactive chronic care approaches may enhance the reach of cessation treatment and reduce the prevalence of smoking in healthcare systems. This pragmatic study evaluated a population-based Comprehensive Tobacco Intervention Program (CTIP) implemented in all (6) adult primary care clinics in a Madison, Wisconsin, USA healthcare cooperative, assessing treatment reach, reach equity, and effectiveness in promoting smoking cessation. CTIP launched in 3 waves of 2 clinics each in a multiple baseline design. Electronic health record (EHR) tools facilitated clinician-delivered pharmacotherapy and counseling; guiding tobacco care managers in phone outreach to all patients who smoke; and prompting multimethod bulk outreach to all patients on a smoking registry using an opt-out approach. EHR data were analyzed to assess CTIP reach and effectiveness among 6894 adult patients between January 2018 and February 2020. Cessation treatment reach increased significantly after CTIP launch in 5 of 6 clinics and was significantly higher when clinics were active vs. inactive in CTIP [Odds Ratio (OR) range = 2.0-3.0]. Rates of converting from current to former smoking status were also higher in active vs. inactive clinics (OR range = 2.2-10.5). Telephone treatment reach was particularly high in historically underserved groups, including African-American, Hispanic, and Medicaid-eligible patients. Implementation of a comprehensive, opt-out, chronic-care program aimed at all patients who smoke was associated with increases in the rates of pharmacotherapy and counseling delivery and quitting smoking. Proactive outreach may help reduce disparities in treatment access.

Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blocks: A Practical Review for Acute Cancer-Related Pain.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ultrasound-guided regional techniques, including catheter-based approaches, are a subset of interventional therapies that have gained interest as an option for managing acute cancer-related pain. The authors sought to review the available published evidence and to discuss practical recommendations for expanding access to such therapies. RECENT FINDINGS: In a MEDLINE/Pubmed search of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks and peripheral nerve catheters for specific anatomic targets, a total of 28 case reports and case series were identified. Included studies described improved analgesia and reduced opioid requirements with highly variable duration of effect. Current level of evidence remains limited. Pain is a symptom that markedly impacts the quality of life of cancer patients and ultrasound-guided regional techniques are a promising therapeutic option albeit with a limited evidence base. Practical recommendations offered for coordinating access to such therapies in the inpatient, emergency department, and outpatient settings may expand interest and facilitate higher quality research.

Development of a Pharmacist-Led Opt-Out Cessation Treatment Protocol for Combustible Tobacco Smoking Within Inpatient Settings.

Background: Although people who smoke cigarettes are overrepresented among hospital inpatients, few are connected with smoking cessation treatment during their hospitalization. Training, accountability for medication use, and monitoring of all patients position pharmacists well to deliver cessation interventions to all hospitalized patients who smoke. Methods: A large Midwestern University hospital implemented a pharmacist-led smoking cessation intervention. A delegation protocol for hospital pharmacy inpatients who smoked cigarettes gave hospital pharmacists the authority to order nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during hospitalization and upon discharge, and for referral to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line (WTQL) at discharge. Eligible patients received the smoking cessation intervention unless they actively refused (ie, "opt-out"). The program was pilot tested in phases, with pharmacist feedback between phases, and then implemented hospital-wide. Interviews, surveys, and informal mechanisms identified ways to improve implementation and workflows. Results: Feedback from pharmacists led to changes that improved workflow, training and patient education materials, and enhanced adoption and reach. Refining implementation strategies across pilot phases increased the percentage of eligible smokers offered pharmacist-delivered cessation support from 37% to 76%, prescribed NRT from 2% to 44%, and referred to the WTQL from 3% to 32%. Conclusion: Hospitalizations provide an ideal opportunity for patients to make a tobacco quit attempt, and pharmacists can capitalize on this opportunity by integrating smoking cessation treatment into existing inpatient medication reconciliation workflows. Pharmacist-led implementation strategies developed in this study may be applicable in other inpatient settings.

Cost-effectiveness of stop smoking incentives for medicaid-enrolled pregnant women.

Maternal smoking increases mortality and morbidity risks for both mother and infant. The First Breath Wisconsin study examined the cost-effectiveness of providing incentives to pregnant women who smoked to engage in stop smoking treatment. Participants (N = 1014) were Medicaid-enrolled pregnant women recruited from September 2012 to April 2015 through public health departments, private, and community health clinics in Wisconsin. The incentive group (n = 505) could receive $460 for completing pre-birth visits ($25 each), post-birth home visits ($40, $25, $25, $40 for 1-week, 2-month, 4-month and 6-month visits), monthly smoking cessation phone calls post-birth ($20 each), and biochemically-verified tobacco abstinence at 1-week ($40) and 6-months ($40) post-birth. The control group (n = 509) received up to $80 for 1-week ($40) and 6-month ($40) post-birth assessments. Intervention costs included incentive payments to participants, counselor and administrative staff time, and smoking cessation medications. Cost-effectiveness analysis calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per one additional smoker who quit. The incentive group had higher 6-month post-birth biochemically-confirmed tobacco abstinence than the control group (14.7% vs. 9.2%). Incremental costs averaged $184 per participant for the incentive group compared to controls ($317 vs $133). The ICER of financial incentives was $3399 (95% CI $2228 to $8509) per additional woman who was tobacco abstinent at 6 months post-birth. The ICER was lower ($2518 vs $4760) for women who did not live with another smoker. This study shows use of financial incentives for stop smoking treatment is a cost-effective option for low-income pregnant women who smoke.

Effects of Combined Varenicline With Nicotine Patch and of Extended Treatment Duration on Smoking Cessation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Smoking cessation medications are routinely used in health care. Research suggests that combining varenicline with the nicotine patch, extending the duration of varenicline treatment, or both, may increase cessation effectiveness. Objective: To compare combinations of varenicline plus the nicotine or placebo patch vs combinations used for either 12 weeks (standard duration) or 24 weeks (extended duration). Design, Settings, and Participants: Double-blind, 2 × 2 factorial randomized clinical trial conducted from November 11, 2017, to July 9, 2020, at 1 research clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, and at 1 clinic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Of the 5836 adults asked to participate in the study, 1251 who smoked 5 cigarettes/d or more were randomized. Interventions: All participants received cessation counseling and were randomized to 1 of 4 medication groups: varenicline monotherapy for 12 weeks (n = 315), varenicline plus nicotine patch for 12 weeks (n = 314), varenicline monotherapy for 24 weeks (n = 311), or varenicline plus nicotine patch for 24 weeks (n = 311). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was carbon monoxide-confirmed self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 52 weeks. Results: Among 1251 patients who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 49.1 [11.9] years; 675 [54.0%] women), 751 (60.0%) completed treatment and 881 (70.4%) provided final follow-up. For the primary outcome, there was no significant interaction between the 2 treatment factors of medication type and medication duration (odds ratio [OR], 1.03 [95% CI, 0.91 to 1.17]; P = .66). For patients randomized to 24-week vs 12-week treatment duration, the primary outcome occurred in 24.8% (154/622) vs 24.3% (153/629), respectively (risk difference, -0.4% [95% CI, -5.2% to 4.3%]; OR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.89 to 1.15]). For patients randomized to varenicline combination therapy vs varenicline monotherapy, the primary outcome occurred in 24.3% (152/625) vs 24.8% (155/626), respectively (risk difference, 0.4% [95% CI, -4.3% to 5.2%]; OR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.87 to 1.12]). Nausea occurrence ranged from 24.0% to 30.9% and insomnia occurrence ranged from 24.4% to 30.5% across the 4 groups. Conclusions and Relevance: Among adults smoking 5 cigarettes/d or more, there were no significant differences in 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 52 weeks among those treated with combined varenicline plus nicotine patch therapy vs varenicline monotherapy, or among those treated for 24 weeks vs 12 weeks. These findings do not support the use of combined therapy or of extended treatment duration. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03176784.

Electronically Monitored Nicotine Gum Use Before and After Smoking Lapses: Relationship With Lapse and Relapse.

INTRODUCTION: Greater use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is related to smoking cessation success, but the causal direction is unclear. This study characterized the relationship between NRT use and smoking lapse and relapse. METHODS: Participants (N = 416 smokers; 57% female, 85% White) were recruited from primary care for a smoking cessation factorial experiment and analyzed if abstaining ≥1 day in the first 2 weeks post-target quit day (TQD). Participants were randomized to counseling and 8 versus 26 weeks of nicotine patch plus nicotine gum post-TQD. Participants carried electronic dispensers that timestamped each gum use. Participants who lapsed (smoked after abstaining) within 6 weeks post-TQD were matched with nonlapsers (n = 146 pairs) on multiple variables. We compared lapsers' versus matched nonlapsers' gum use in the 5 days before and after the lapsers' first lapse. RESULTS: By week 6 post-TQD, 63% of participants lapsed. Compared with nonlapsers, lapsers used less gum 1 and 2 days pre-"lapse" and on the 5 days post-lapse. Lapsers used less gum during the 5 days post-lapse than the 5 days pre-lapse. Univariate survival analyses with lapsers showed greater gum use during both pre- and post-lapse periods predicted longer latency to relapse in the first 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: In a smoking cessation attempt using nicotine patch plus gum, lapsers versus matched nonlapsers used less gum immediately preceding and following their first lapse. Lower mean gum use before and after lapses predicted a more rapid escalation to relapse. Decreased nicotine gum use both precedes and follows returns to smoking during cessation attempts. IMPLICATIONS: This research examined electronically monitored nicotine gum use collected in real time and found that among smokers engaged in a quit attempt, lapsers (vs. matched nonlapsers) tended to decrease their gum use 1-2 days prior to lapsing and to further decrease their gum use from pre- to post-lapse. Decreased gum use pre-lapse may signal heightened lapse risk in 1-2 days, with lower level of gum use predicting a more precipitous course of relapse. These results encourage further exploration of objective measures of smoking medication use patterns to examine their signaling properties and to inform understanding of cessation failure. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01120704.

Predictors of Smoking Cessation Attempts and Success Following Motivation-Phase Interventions Among People Initially Unwilling to Quit Smoking.

INTRODUCTION: Most people who smoke cigarettes are not willing (ie, not ready) to make a quit attempt (QA) at any given time. Unfortunately, interventions intended to increase QAs and the success of QAs are only modestly effective. Identifying processes leading to QAs and quitting success could guide intervention development. AIMS AND METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a randomized factorial trial of 6 weeks of motivation-phase interventions among primary care patients (N = 517) who were initially unwilling to quit but were willing to reduce their smoking. Using logistic regression, we controlled for treatment condition and tested whether baseline or change in smoking-related constructs after 6 weeks of treatment predicted (1) making an at least 24 h QA between weeks 6 and 26 and (2) quitting success at week 26 (7-day point-prevalence abstinence among those who made a QA). Predictors included cigarettes/day, time to first cigarette, motivation to quit, quitting self-efficacy, anticipated urges to smoke if quit, positive affect, negative affect, and time spent around others who smoke. RESULTS: In multivariable models that included all smoking-related constructs, changes in the following variables predicted initiating a QA above and beyond other variables: greater baseline time to first cigarette (odds ratio [OR] = 1.60), increases in time to first cigarette (OR = 1.27), and increases in quitting self-efficacy (OR = 1.14). Increased motivation to quit predicted conversion of a QA into quitting success at 26 weeks (OR = 1.36). CONCLUSION: Predictors of making a QA differed from predictors of quitting success. Predictors of QAs and success could each serve as important treatment targets of motivation-phase interventions. IMPLICATIONS: Motivation-phase interventions for people initially unwilling to quit smoking cigarettes may be improved by striving to increase their (1) time to first cigarette and quitting self-efficacy to promote QAs and (2) motivation to quit to promote quit success. Future experimental tests of such interventions are needed to identify causal determinants of QAs and quitting success.

Financial incentives to Medicaid smokers for engaging tobacco quit line treatment: maximising return on investment.

BACKGROUND: Low-income smokers experience greater difficulty in quitting smoking than do other smokers. Providing financial incentives for treatment engagement increases smoking cessation success. This study models the cost-effectiveness of varying levels of financial incentives to maximise return on investment (ROI) for engaging low-income Medicaid recipients who smoke to take calls from a tobacco quit line. METHODS: Participants (N=1900) were recruited from May 2013 to June 2015 through quit line-based (n=980), clinic-based (n=444) or community-based referrals (n=476) into the Wisconsin Medicaid Quit Line Incentive project. Incentive (n=948) and control group participants (n=952) received $30 versus $0 per call, respectively, for taking up to five Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line (WTQL) calls. Cost-effectiveness analyses estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for alternative financial incentives for engagement with WTQL calls. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was employed to determine an optimal strategy for financial incentives to minimise the cost per individual who quit smoking. RESULTS: Using fixed payments, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $2316 per smoker who quit in the randomised trial decreased to $2150 per smoker who quit when the incentives were modelled at $20 per each of five WTQL calls taken. Using variable payments, the minimal cost per additional smoker who quit was $2125 when incentives for the first four WTQL calls were set at $20, and the financial payment for the fifth WTQL call was set at $70. CONCLUSIONS: Modelling suggests that financial incentives in the amount of $20 per call for taking the first four quit line calls and $70 for taking a fifth quit line call maximise ROI to engage low-income smokers with evidence-based smoking cessation treatment.

Paying Low-Income Smokers to Quit? The Cost-Effectiveness of Incentivizing Tobacco Quit Line Engagement for Medicaid Recipients Who Smoke.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the cost-effectiveness of an incentive-based stop-smoking intervention that paid Medicaid recipients who smoke to take calls from a tobacco quit line. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a randomized controlled trial. The analysis was conducted from a health care systems perspective on the basis of costs and effectiveness over a 6-month follow-up. Participants (n = 1900) were recruited from May 2013 to June 2015 through quit line (n = 980), clinic-based (n = 444), or community-based (n = 476) referrals. Incentive group participants (n = 948) received $30 a call for taking up to five tobacco quit line calls and $40 for biochemically verified tobacco abstinence at 6 months. Control group participants (n = 952) did not receive financial incentives for taking quit line calls. Intervention resource costs included incentive payments to participants, counselor and administrative staff time, and smoking cessation medications. Smoking status at baseline and 6 months was determined for all study participants via carbon monoxide (CO) breath tests (abstinence: CO < 7 ppm). Cost-effectiveness analysis calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). RESULTS: Incentive treatment produced higher 6-month CO-confirmed 7-day point-prevalence abstinence than did the control treatment (21.6 vs. 13.8%; P < 0.001). The ICER of the financial incentives intervention was $2316 (95% confidence interval $1582-$4270) per additional person who quit. The study ICER compares favorably with other smoking treatments, such as varenicline combined with proactive telephone counseling, whose ICER has been estimated at $2600 per additional smoker who quits. CONCLUSIONS: Use of financial incentives to engage with tobacco quit line treatment is a cost-effective option to enhance smoking cessation rates for low-income smokers.

Changes in carotid artery structure with smoking cessation.

Carotid artery grayscale ultrasound echogenicity and texture features predict cardiovascular disease events. We evaluated the longitudinal effects of smoking cessation on four grayscale ultrasound measures. This was a secondary analysis of data from 188 age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-matched smokers (94 eventual abstainers [EA], 94 continued smokers [CS]) from a smoking cessation trial that had carotid ultrasound examinations at baseline and after 3 years. General linear models that included time, smoking group (EA or CS), and a time*smoking interaction term were used to examine the impact of smoking abstinence on carotid artery grayscale marker values at year 3. Participants were mean (SD) 50.3 (11.4) years old (57% female, 86% white). The baseline grayscale median value (GSM) was inversely correlated with age, BMI, insulin resistance, and smoking pack-years (r = -0.20 to -0.30, p < 0.007 for all). There was a significant time*smoking status interaction for predicting GSM at year 3: GSM decreased significantly in the EA group compared to the CS group (-3.63 [13.00] vs CS 0.39 [12.06] units; p = 0.029). BMI increased more in the EA than the CS group (2.42 [3.00] vs CS 0.35 [2.57] kg/m2; p < 0.001). After adjusting for changes in BMI, the time*smoking status interaction no longer was significant (p = 0.138). From baseline to year 3, contrast increased similarly in both groups. Entropy and angular second moment did not change significantly in either group. Changes in carotid ultrasound echogenicity and grayscale texture features during a smoking cessation attempt are modest and mostly related to weight gain. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01553084.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Optimized Smoking Treatment Delivered in Primary Care.

Background: The effectiveness of smoking cessation treatment is limited in real-world use, perhaps because we have not selected the components of such treatments optimally nor have treatments typically been developed for and evaluated in real-world clinical settings. Purpose: To validate an optimized smoking cessation treatment package that comprises intervention components identified as effective in factorial screening experiments conducted as per the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST). Methods: Adult smokers motivated to quit were recruited from primary care clinics (N = 623). Participants were randomized to receive either recommended usual care (R-UC; 10 min of in-person counseling, 8 weeks of nicotine patch, and referral to quitline services) or abstinence-optimized treatment (A-OT; 3 weeks of prequit mini-lozenges, 26 weeks of nicotine patch + mini-lozenges, three in-person and eight phone counseling sessions, and 7-11 automated calls to prompt medication use). The key outcomes were self-reported and biochemically confirmed (carbon monoxide, CO <6 ppm) 7-day point-prevalence abstinence. Results: A-OT participants had significantly higher self-reported abstinence rates than R-UC participants at 4, 8, 16, and 26 weeks (ORs: 1.91-3.05; p <. 001). The biochemically confirmed 26-week abstinence rates were lower than the self-reported 26-week rates, but revealed a similar treatment effect size (OR = 2.94, p < .001). There was no moderation of treatment effects on 26-week abstinence by demographic, psychiatric, or nicotine dependence variables. A-OT had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for 26-week CO-confirmed abstinence of $7,800. Conclusions: A smoking cessation treatment that is optimized via MOST development meaningfully enhances cessation rates beyond R-UC smoking treatment in smokers seen in primary care. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02301403.

Longitudinal Impact of Smoking and Smoking Cessation on Inflammatory Markers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate longitudinal changes in 6 inflammatory markers that predict cardiovascular disease events among smokers making a quit attempt and to characterize their cross-sectional associations between smoking and smoking heaviness. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In a longitudinal cohort study of contemporary smokers (n=1652), we evaluated (1) independent associations of smoking heaviness markers (exhaled carbon monoxide, cigarettes/d, pack-years) with inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, D-dimer, fibrinogen, urinary F2 isoprostane:creatinine [F2:Cr] ratio, white blood cell [WBC] count, myeloperoxidase) and (2) the effects of smoking cessation and continued smoking on these inflammatory markers after 1 year, among the 888 smokers who made an aided quit attempt as part of a randomized comparative effectiveness trial or standard care. There were strong, independent associations between smoking heaviness markers and the F2:Cr ratio, WBC, and myeloperoxidase (all Padj<0.001), but not high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, D-dimer, or fibrinogen. Participants were mean (SD) 49.6 years old (11.6), 54% women, 34% non-white, and smoked 16.8 cigarettes/d (8.5) for 27.3 pack-years (18.6). After 1 year, the 344 successful abstainers gained more weight (4.0 [6.0] versus 0.4 [5.7] pounds; P<0.001) and had larger increases in insulin resistance scores (P=0.02) than continuing smokers. Despite these increases, abstainers had significant decreases in F2:Cr ratio (P<0.001) and WBC counts (P<0.001). Changes in other markers were not related to quitting. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking heaviness is associated with increased F2:Cr ratio, myeloperoxidase, and WBC counts. Cessation improves the F2:Cr ratio and WBC counts independent of weight change, suggesting reduced inflammation related to less oxidant stress.

Helping Smokers with Severe Mental Illness Who Do Not Want to Quit.

BACKGROUND: People with a severe and persistent mental illness are far more likely to smoke than others. While a large portion would like to quit, they are less likely to make quit attempts and succeed. OBJECTIVE: This study used an Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to test an intervention designed to increase engagement in cessation treatment, quit attempts, and quitting in smokers who did not want to quit in the next 30 days. It also compared these smokers with those who were motivated to quit in the next 30 days. METHODS: Participants (N = 222), were smokers with significant mental illness receiving intensive outpatient care from Wisconsin Community Support Programs who were not interested in quitting in the next 30 days. They were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or an attention control group. The intervention, administered during four weekly sessions, included a motivational element, components designed to prepare the smoker for a quit attempt, and pre-quit nicotine patch. Additionally, 48 smokers motivated to quit in the next 30 days served as a comparison group. RESULTS: Compared to control participants, smokers receiving the intervention were more likely to be abstinent at the three month follow-up (biochemically verified, intent to treat, 8.5% vs. 1.0%, respectively, p = .01). They were also more likely to accept four more quitting preparation sessions (intent to treat, 50.8% vs 29.2%, respectively, p < .001) but were not more likely to call a telephone tobacco quit line. Conclusion/Importance: Brief motivational interventions increased engagement in cessation treatment and abstinence among smokers with signification mental illness.