Varenicline versus Bupropion XL for Smoking Cessation in Older Adolescents: A Randomized, Double-Blind Pilot Trial

A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial of Varenicline for Smokeless Tobacco Dependence in India

“…Eligible participants were randomized to 12 weeks of placebo or varenicline 1 mg twice per day. Consistent with drug labeling and past trials (Gray, Carpenter, Lewis, Klintworth, & Upadhyaya, 2012), participants whose weight was <55 kg were given varenicline 1 mg once per day. All participants received behavioral counseling, a six-session, manual-based intervention modeled on past studies (Dale et al, 2007;Severson, Andrews, Lichtenstein, Gordon, & Barckley, 1998) and revised for cultural relevance based on studies conducted in India (e.g., Stigler et al, 2007).…”

The Role of Pharmacotherapy in the Treatment of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders

“…73 This was followed by a recent 8-week RCT comparing varenicline to bupropion for adolescent smoking cessation. 74 Gray and colleagues randomized 29 adolescent smokers to receive varenicline (2 mg/day) or extended-release bupropion (bupropion XL, 300 mg daily), added to brief weekly individual counseling and medication management. CO breathalyzer-confirmed end of treatment abstinence was 27% for the varenicline group and 14% for the bupropion XL group, with reductions in cigarettes per day in both treatment groups.…”

Update of Adolescent Smoking Cessation Interventions: 2009–2014

“…The second study by Gray et al [46] was a double-blind randomized trial of varenicline ( n = 15; M age = 19.1 years) and bupropion extended release (BXL; n = 14; M age = 18.7 years) among adolescents who smoked at least 5 cigarettes per day. Following one week titration, dose for varenicline was 1.0 mg twice daily for >55 kg body weight and 0.5 mg twice daily for ≤ 55 kg body weight.…”