Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Comparison of Standard Versus Extended Nicotine Patch Therapy for Smoking Cessation
Brief Summary: This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled will determine the relative efficacy of standard versus extended transdermal nicotine (TN) therapy for smoking cessation. After completing the eligibility screening, 600 treatment-seeking smokers will be randomized to receive either standard treatment (ST) with TN (21mg x 8 weeks, placebo x 16 weeks) or extended treatment (ET) with TN (21mg x 24 weeks). All participants will receive behavioral counseling. The primary outcome will be biochemically verified abstinence from smoking at the end of treatment (week 24). Secondary outcomes include abstinence at week 28 (4 weeks after treatment is discontinued), and time to failure. We hypothesize that ET will produce significantly higher quit rates than ST; however, the benefit of ET will last only so long as treatment is continued. Support for this hypothesis would indicate that maintenance therapy with TN should be considered.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* smoking at least 10 cigarettes/day in the month prior to admission
* patient has been diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (includes patients admitted for unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction), elective percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass surgery at any point in time
* motivated to stop smoking
* geographically available for follow-up visits (i.e., live within 1 hour of the study centre)

Exclusion Criteria:

* have been using NRT, Zyban (or Wellbutrin), and/or Champix for more than 72 hours
* have serious cardiac arrhythmias (e.g., tachycardia), vasospastic disease (e.g., Buerger's disease, Prinzmetal's variant angina)
* have severe renal impairment or are on dialysis
* unable to read and understand English
* patient is pregnant or breastfeeding or planning on becoming pregnant during the study period
B: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Current cigarette smokers, male and female, aged between 18-75 years (both limits inclusive), and who are motivated to stop smoking.
2. Have smoked on average at least 10 cigarettes per day during past year and during the month prior to screening, and no period of abstinence greater than 3 months in the past year.
3. Women of child-bearing potential (WCBP) may be included provided they are not pregnant, not nursing, and meet all of the following criteria:

   * instructed and agree to avoid pregnancy through 30 days after the last dose of study medication
   * negative screening test (beta-HCG) at screening
   * agree to use at least one birth control method (oral contraceptive, IUD, implantable or injectable contraceptive for at least 1 month prior to entering the study and will continue its use through at least 30 days after the last dose of study medication, or use a barrier method of contraception (p.e.condom, diaphragm with spermicide) while participating in the study through at least 30 days after the last dose of study medication; or abstinence.
4. Patients must have no serious or unstable disease in the past 6 months.
5. Patients must be able to be outpatients, to be assessed in a clinical setting, and be able and willing to comply with all study visits during the treatment and non-treatment periods.
6. Only one subject per household may participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients currently suffering from depression or who have been diagnosed with depression or treated with anti-depressants within the past 12 months.
2. Patients with a past of present history of psychosis, panic disorder, or bipolar disorder.
3. Patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
4. Patients with clinically significant cardiovascular disease in the past 6 months. such as myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), severe or unstable angina, serious arrhythmia, and clinically significant ECG conduction abnormalities.
5. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension or a systolic blood pressure greater than 150mmHg or as diastolic pressure greater than 95mmHg at screening or baseline.
6. Patients with clinically significant neurological disorders or cerebrovascular diseases (for example, stroke, transient ischemic attack, etc.) in the past 6 months.
7. Patients with a history of clinically significant endocrine disorders or gastrointestinal diseases, including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, and active peptic ulcer.
8. Patients with clinically significant hepatic or renal impairment or other clinically significant abnormal laboratory test values.
9. Patients with a history of cancer (cured basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin allowed).
10. Patients with a history of clinically significant allergic reactions to drugs (for example, severe cutaneous and/or systemic allergic reactions).
11. Patients with a history of drug (except nicotine) or alcohol abuse or dependence within the past 12 months.
12. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) less than 15 or greater than 38 when wearing indoor clothing without shoes. No subject will be enrolled with a weight less than 45.5kg (100 pounds).
13. Patients previously enrolled in a study that included varenicline.
14. Patients having used nicotine replacement therapy within the last 6 months.
15. Patients taking another investigational drug within 30 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) before the Baseline visit or within 30 days of study completion.
16. Use of prohibited medications: any antidepressants, including bupropion; antipsychotic agents; mood stabilizers; naltrexone; steroids (inhaled and topical steroids are permitted); insulin.
17. Patients who do not agree to completely abstain from using non-cigarette tobacco products (including for example, pipe tobacco, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, etc.) or marijuana during study participation.
18. Patients who intend to donate blood or blood components while receiving study drug or within 1 month of the completion of the study treatment.
19. Patients unable/or unlikely to comprehend and follow the study protocol, including patients unable and/or unwilling to participate in the non-treatment follow-up. Patients who, in the investigator's opinion, will be unlikely to commit to a 6 month-long study.
20. Other severe acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with study participation or investigational product administration or may interfere with the interpretation of study results and, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the subject inappropriate for entry into this study.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males and females of descent between the ages of 18-65 who smokes at least 10 cigarettes/day and are seeking smoking cessation treatment.
2. Based on the medical history, physical and laboratory examination, premenopausal female subjects must consent to practice an effective form of contraception during study.
3. Following orientation by the research staff, subjects must sign written informed consent for all study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or lactating.
2. Current medical problems for which TN is contraindicated including allergy to nicotine, uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, serious arrhythmia, heart attack or stroke within the past 6 months, liver and/or kidney failure in the last 6-months and current diabetes.
3. Current treatment of cancer or diagnosed with cancer in the past 6 months
4. Current DSM IV substance use disorders (dependence involving alcohol, cocaine, marijuana or stimulants, benzodiazepines).
5. Current use of TN or other forms of NRT.
6. Concomitant medications (e.g., monoamine oxidase inhibitors or benzodiazepines within past 14 days, antipsychotics, endogenous steroids, and antidepressants (including wellbutrin or bupropion).
D: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Smokes 10 or more cigarettes/day over the past year AND ≥ 5 cigarettes/day within the past week
* Planning to stop smoking in 4-6 weeks
* Member of Group Health Cooperative (GHC) and planning to stay enrolled for the next 6 months
* Eligible for the Free \& Clear program
* Enrolled in the COMPASS study using bupropion hydrochloride medication
* No prior participation in GHC's Free \& Clear smoking cessation program within the past 6 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* In good general health
* Sufficient verbal and written English
* Dependable access to a telephone and the Internet
* Not currently drinking ≥ 14 alcoholic drinks per week and/or binge drinking ≥ 2 times in the past month
* Not pregnant or nursing
* No plan to become pregnant
* No severe chronic heart disease (e.g, myocardial infarction within the past 3 months)
* No severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that ever required hospitalization or oxygen treatment
* No diagnosis of or treatment for a psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or mania)
* Not having certain kidney problems

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent use of medications contraindicated with bupropion hydrochloride or known to lower seizure threshold (e.g., antidepressant, antipsychotic, monamine oxidase inhibitor, or protease inhibitor)
* No concurrent use of recreational or street drugs
* No concurrent use of bupropion hydrochloride or nicotine replacement therapy
* No concurrent cimetidine, metformin, phenformin, pindolol, procainamide
* Not on dialysis

Answer: C