Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe) for Smoking Abstinence
Brief Summary: Cigarette smoking is of great public health importance and is the single most important preventable cause of morbidity, mortality and excess health care costs in the United States. After a steady decline for the last 50 years, the prevalence of tobacco use in the United States has reached a plateau of approximately 21%. Currently available treatments among adults are not efficacious for all tobacco users. New pharmacologic agents thus need to be continually developed and tested.

The release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens is one of the key components of the pleasurable and rewarding effects of nicotine. Drugs that increase monoamine neurotransmitter availability (particularly dopamine and norepinephrine) are likely to increase the reward function and thus ameliorate withdrawal symptoms. S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe), the primary methyl donor for the central nervous system (CNS), donates methyl groups towards presynaptic synthesis of CNS monoamine neurotransmitters. By facilitating the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, SAMe is likely to ameliorate the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, thus improving tobacco abstinence rates in smokers who are trying to stop smoking. SAMe is well tolerated and is available over-the-counter.

To date, no prospective clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of SAMe for the treatment of tobacco dependence has been published. We propose to evaluate the efficacy of SAMe for increasing smoking abstinence and decreasing nicotine withdrawal symptoms in a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, three-arm, parallel-group, dose-ranging phase II clinical trial. Participants (N=120) will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups, and will receive an 8-week course of SAMe 800-mg per day, 1600-mg per day, or a matching placebo. This study is anticipated to provide the data needed to develop a larger randomized controlled clinical trial submitted through the R01 funding mechanism, if the results appear promising.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-60
* DSM-IV Diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder
* Clinically stable with no change in antipsychotic medications and increase of daily dose for 4 weeks prior to enrollment
* Sufficient understanding of the study and risks (ESC score 10 or above)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Major medical illness history including, but not limited to, history of heart attack, stroke, TIA (transient ischemic attack)
* History of organic brain disorders that may affect neurophysiological measurements, including seizure disorder, brain tumor, head injury with evidence of significant cognitive deterioration
* DSM-IV diagnosis of substance dependence within 6 months except nicotine and marijuana
* On nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patch, gum, or nasal spray)
* Uncontrolled blood pressure (persistent systolic above 155 or diastolic above 95)
* EKG of second or third degree atrioventricular (AV) block
* Renal insufficiency with estimated creatinine clearance \<40 ml/min
* Women who have positive urine pregnancy tests
* Women who are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or in breastfeeding
B: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* African American who has smoked ≤ 10 cigarettes per day for ≥ 2 years AND has smoked for ≥ 25 days within the past month

  * Not a heavy smoker
  * No other forms of tobacco within the past 30 days
* Must be interested in stopping smoking
* No other smoker in the household enrolled in this study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Has a home address and a functioning telephone number
* Not planning to move from the Kansas City metro area within the next 12 months
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* No alcohol or substance abuse within the past year
* Not currently drinking ≥ 14 alcoholic drinks per week
* No binge drinking (5 or more drinks on one occasion) on at least two occasions within the past month
* No history of seizures or head trauma
* No history of bulimia or anorexia nervosa
* No myocardial infarction within the past 30 days
* No reported use of opiates, cocaine, or stimulants
* No diabetes requiring oral hypoglycemics or insulin

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 30 days since prior nicotine replacement therapy, fluoxetine, clonidine, buspirone, or doxepin
* No other concurrent medication that contains bupropion hydrochloride
* No concurrent psychoactive medications
C: Inclusion Criteria:

A software program using Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical (ATC) prescription codes and International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) diagnosis codes selected potential patients with COPD. Criteria: age \>35 years and a diagnosis recorded as COPD or as ICPC code R95/96, or a prescription of at least three times of bronchodilators (ATC code R03a/bc) and/or prescription of at least two times of inhaled anti-inflammatory medication in the past year (ATC code R03). General practitioners (GPs) had to confirm the diagnosis of the selection. Patients were eligible to participate if they met the following criteria:

* Current smoking
* Suffering from COPD according to the GP's diagnosis
* In command of the Dutch language.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Too ill
* Under control of a chest physician
* Serious physical or psychological comorbidity
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Is at least 18 years of age;
* Has smoked more than 10 cigarettes/day for ≥6 months;
* Is willing to make a quit attempt;
* Is able to participate fully in all aspects of the study;
* Has been provided with, understand, and have signed the informed consent.
* Is in good health as determined by the physician investigator.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Is clinically significant levels of current depression as assessed by CESD (Score \>16) and determined by the physician; or have a life-time diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or dementia as determined by physician investigator;
* Has an unstable medical condition.
* Is using other tobacco product and the primary use is NOT cigarettes.
* Is currently (within the past 30-days) using antipsychotics or antidepressants;
* Is currently (within the past 30-days) using any treatments for tobacco dependence (i.e., behavioral therapy, nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion SR, clonidine, or nortriptyline);
* Is currently using another investigational drug at the time of study enrollment;
* Is currently (within the past 30 days) using an herbal product or dietary supplement for tobacco abstinence;
* Has recent history (in the past 3-months) of alcohol abuse or dependence as assessed by the CAGE questionnaire and study investigators;
* Has a recent history of drug abuse as assessed by physician interview;
* Is pregnant, lactating, or of child bearing potential, likely to become pregnant during the medication phase and not willing to use a reliable form of contraception. Reliable forms of contraception include diaphragm or condom (with spermicidal), injections, intrauterine device \[IUD\], surgical sterilization and abstinence;
* Is a history of any major cardiovascular events in the past 3-months including unstable angina, acute MI or coronary angioplasty;
* Has clinically significant acute or chronic progressive or unstable neurologic, hepatic, renal, cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic disease;
* Is currently on medications interacting with SAMe, including but not limited to, antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, levodopa, meperidine, dextromethorphan, pentazocine and tramadol;
* Has another household member or relative participating in the study;
* Has known allergy to SAMe.

Answer: D