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| |  Varenicline Reduces Short-Term Smoking Behaviour and Reward: Presented at SRNT By Liz Meszaros BALTIMORE, Md -- March 2, 2010 -- Varenicline may reduce short-term smoking behaviour and reward. These effects, however, were not associated with subsequent ability to quit due to varenicline, according to results from a study on a brief simulated quit attempt presented here at the 2010 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT) Annual Meeting. “Although varenicline reduced short-term smoking behaviour and reward, neither effect was associated with subsequent ability to quit due to varenicline in a brief simulated quit attempt,” said Kenneth Perkins, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a presentation on February 27. In all, 124 subjects who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day completed this 6-week study that consisted of two 3-week phases. Week 1 was comprised of ad lib smoking. During week 2, smokers had a dose run-up with either varenicline or placebo while continuing to smoke freely. During week 3, subjects attempted to quit while treated with varenicline. At the end of week 2 of each phase, subjects recorded the number of cigarettes they smoked over the past 24 hours, provided a carbon monoxide (CO) sample, and were asked to retrospectively rate the cigarettes they smoked that day for reward value. Daily abstinence during week 3 of each phase was confirmed by CO <5 ppm. Varenicline significantly reduced the cigarettes smoked per day (F[1,105] = 6.03; P < .05) and CO (F[1,105] = 6.77; P < .05). Varenicline only marginally reduced liking of cigarettes (F[1,107] = 2.92; P < .10). Liking was influenced by quit interest (F[1,107] = 15.75; P < .001) and by interactions of varenicline multiplied by quit interest (F[1,107] = 4.64; P < .05) and varenicline multiplied by quit interest multiplied by sex (F[1,107] = 7.41; P < .01). Varenicline also decreased liking among men with high versus low quit interest. It did not influence quit interest in women. Varenicline’s effects on number of cigarettes per day and liking were not related to subsequent days of abstinence due to varenicline. “We did find some reduction in liking of cigarettes and general decline in smoking when assessed retrospectively,” Dr. Perkins said. “However, we can’t say that that is why varenicline helps smokers to quit. It may be that varenicline relieves craving and withdrawal, rather than interfering with smoking reinforcement and reward. It also may be that it takes longer duration of medication use, and that it is occasional lapses after quitting that are less rewarding due to varenicline, not smoking during the run-up period with medication prior to quitting, that is key,” he concluded. Funding for this study was provided by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. [Presentation Title: Examining the Association of Varenicline Effects on Short-Term Smoking Reward and Behavior With Subsequent Abstinence. Abstract POS5-48]
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