Effect of three smoking cessation treatments on nicotine withdrawal in 141abstinent alcoholic smokers

This prospective study examined the effect of three behavioral smoking inte rventions and reductions in cigarettes smoked per day on nicotine withdrawa l symptoms in 141 abstinent alcoholic smokers (73 men. 68 women). The parti cipants' mean +/- SD age was 41.4 +/- 9.2 years. They smoked an average of 27.7 +/- 12.1 cigarettes per day and reported 4.1 +/- 4.3 years of current abstinent from alcohol and other drugs of dependence. Participants were ran domly assigned to a 12-week program of standard treatment (ST, n = 61), beh avioral counseling plus exercise (BEX, n = 39), or behavioral counseling pl us nicotine gum (BNIC, n = 41). All three conditions included instructions to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day prior to the target quit date (TQD). The TQD was week 4 for ST subjects and week 8 for those in the BEX and BNIC groups. The post-treatment assessment occurred one week after TQD. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Beck Depression inventory we re administered at baseline and posttreatment to assess nicotine withdrawal . Significant increases were detected for the POMS total mood disturbance s core, and the depression, tension, anger and confusion subscales, while vig or scores decreased (all p < 0.03). Withdrawal change scores were not found to be associated with treatment condition or percentage reduction in cigar ettes, and there was no evidence of a significant interaction of treatment and cigarette reduction. Results are discussed in relation to implications for treatment and for future research. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.