June 25, 2010 - While it is known that people with schizophrenia are frequently heavy smokers and consequently suffer a higher burden of morbidity and mortality from smoking-related diseases, it is unclear if tobacco cessation treatments are effective among this specific population.  A recently published study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews studied twenty-one randomized trials that compared pharmacological or non-pharmacological smoking cessation interventions with a placebo or other control in smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.  Tsoi et al. designed the study to evaluate different treatments for smoking cessation in smokers with schizophrenia by comparing outcomes such as smoking abstinence, reduction in smoking, and changes in mental state at both the end of treatment and six months after concluding treatment.

Tsoi et al. concluded that bupropion, an anti-depressant that has also proven to be effective in smoking cessation, increased abstinence rates in smokers with schizophrenia with no effect on mental state; could help to effectively maintain cessation after six months; and may also reduce how much individuals smoke.  In addition, studies suggested that using contingent reinforcement by supplying monetary incentives to smokers with schizophrenia may also increase abstinence rates and reduce the amount of smoking among this population.  Other interventions explored in this review, including nicotine replacement therapy and psychosocial interventions, did not show evidence of having a beneficial impact on smoking cessation among people with schizophrenia.

For more information please visit:

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab007253.html