Reward Sensitivity and Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation

Tobacco Use Cessation Clinical Trial

Official title: The Effects of Behavioral Counseling Plus Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or Varenicline on Smoking Cessation Among Smokers High and Low in Intrinsic Reward Sensitivity

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical research study is learn if varenicline or the nicotine patch can help people with different types of emotion and attention levels to quit smoking.

Clinical Trial Description

Study Groups:

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be randomly assigned (as in the roll of a dice) to 1 of 2 study groups. This is done because no one knows if one study group is better, the same, or worse than the other group. You will have an equal chance of being assigned to Group 1 or 2.

• If you are in Group 1, you will receive varenicline and a placebo patch. A placebo is not a drug. It looks like the study drug but is not designed to treat any disease or illness. It is designed to be compared with a study drug to learn if the study drug has any real effect.

• If you are in Group 2, you will receive an active nicotine patch and a placebo tablet.

Neither you nor the study doctor will know which group you are assigned to. However, if needed for your safety, the study staff will be able to find out what you are receiving (called "unblinding").

Once the study has ended and the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) at MD Anderson has granted approval, you may be unblinded at your request.

Study Drug Administration:

You will start taking your assigned study drug(s) the day after Visit 1.

You should take varenicline/placebo tablets by mouth with a cup (8 ounces) of water after eating a full meal. On Days 1-3, you will take 1 dose of the study drug each morning. Starting on Day 4, and then every day after that, you will take 1 dose in the morning and 1 dose in the evening (for a total of 2 doses of the study drug each day). You must return any study drug bottles as well as any unused study drug to the study staff at each study visit.

You should apply the nicotine/placebo patch to the upper arm. You should put it in a slightly different place each day to avoid skin irritation. You may take the patch off at night to avoid sleeping problems.

You will be given a study diary to record how many cigarettes you smoke (if any) each day while you are on study.

You must return your study diary and any unused study drugs, patches, and/or containers at each study visit.

Study Visits (Visits 1-7):

At every study visit:

• You will complete questionnaires about several topics, including depression, suicide, your smoking behavior, and any effects from the study drug. These questionnaires should take about 30-45 minutes in total to complete.

• You will be giving the opportunity to complete the questionnaires verbally with a study staff member (either on phone or in person depending on the visit number) or electronically on your computer using a website administered by an online survey development company called Qualtrics.

• You will receive counseling about quitting smoking, where you will talk about possible "triggers" for smoking and strategies for dealing with quitting smoking. These sessions will take about 15 minutes each.

At Visits 1, 4 and 6:

• Urine or saliva will be collected for a routine test to check your cotinine, nicotine, and anabasine levels. Cotinine is a chemical released in your body when it breaks down nicotine and will show whether and how much you have recently smoked. Anabasine is used to show if nicotine is found in the blood due to a nicotine replacement therapy or from tobacco use.

• Your CO level and weight. will be measured.

• If you did not have one during screening, you will have a physical exam.

• If you did not complete at one during screening or before Visit 1, you will complete the EEG/lab session.

• If you can become pregnant, urine will be collected for a pregnancy test.

• At V1, if your CO machine tests results are unclear, and the study staff thinks it is appropriate, a NicAlert test will be performed. Urine will be collected for the NicAlert test, which is more sensitive at detecting levels of smoking than the CO machine.

During counseling on Day 8, you will set a "quit date" for stopping smoking for about 1 week after you start taking the study drug/placebo. You should not quit smoking before the quit date. You may also set goals to reduce smoking. You should try to stay smoke-free after the quit date. You will also be given a drug instruction sheet, a card with emergency contact information, and a participant manual to help you follow along with the topics discussed during counseling.

Visits 2, 3, 5 and 7 will be conducted over the phone. You will complete questionnaires about several topics (either on the phone or electronically), including depression, mood, your smoking behavior, and any effects from the study drug. You will also be asked about any drugs you may be taking. Each call should take about 25-45 minutes.

The study staff will call you 1 day before your quit date and 3 days after your quit date to check on your progress in quitting smoking. Each call should take about 10-15 minutes.

Lab Session:

You will take part in a lab session at or before Visit 1 to test your brain activity. You will be asked to watch slides. The slides will include pictures of people, nature, and artwork. Slides showing nude people, medical procedures, and victims of car crashes will also be shown. You will be shown examples of these slides before beginning the procedure and given the opportunity to withdraw from the study.

During the lab session, your brain electrical activity will be checked with an electroencephalogram (EEG). To do this, small sensors will be placed on your scalp and face. You should not drink more than 2 cups of coffee or other caffeinated drinks for at least 2½ hours before the session. At the lab session, you may be asked to smoke a cigarette if the doctor thinks it is needed for you to show your normal smoking behavior.

You will also complete computer tasks, including questionnaires that will measure your emotions and attention level. These tasks should take about 90 minutes to complete.

The lab session may last up to 2 hours.

Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA):

EMA are used to gather information about your mood and cravings as they happen in your day-to-day life. At your randomization visit, you will be loaned a smart phone device, and will be asked to complete questionnaires on the device at different times everyday throughout the active treatment phase (12 weeks). In these questionnaires, you will be asked about events from the previous day, such as cigarettes per day, alcohol intake, mood, sleep, motivation, and whether you took your prescribed drugs on time. These questionnaires should take up to about 20 minutes per day to complete.

Length of Treatment:

You will receive the study drug/placebo for up to 12 weeks. You will be taken off study early if the doctor thinks it is in your best interest or if you are unable to follow study directions.

Your participation on the study will be over after the follow-up visits.

End-of-Treatment Visit (Visit 8):

After you have finished taking the study drug/placebo, the following tests and procedures will be performed:

• Your CO level will be measured.

• Blood (about 2 teaspoons) will be drawn to check your liver and kidney function.

• Urine or saliva will be collected to measure your nicotine, anabasine, and cotinine level.

• You will complete the same questionnaires you completed at the regular study visits.

• You will receive counseling about quitting smoking.

• If you can become pregnant, urine will be collected for a pregnancy test.

Follow-Up Visits (Visits 9 and 10):

At about 3 and 6 months after you have stopped smoking, the following tests and procedures will be performed:

• Your CO level will be measured.

• Urine or saliva will be collected to measure your nicotine, anabasine, and cotinine level.

• You will complete the same questionnaires you completed at the regular study visits.

This is an investigational study. Varenicline and the nicotine patch are both FDA approved and commercially available to help people stop smoking. The study doctor can explain how the study drugs are designed to work.

Up to 160 participants will be enrolled in this portion of the study. All will take part at MD Anderson. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Hypersensitivity
• Tobacco Use Cessation

• NCT number: NCT02162849
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• Start date: December 14, 2015
• Completion date: June 30, 2025