Summary of findings 8. Varenicline versus e‐cigarettes for smoking cessation.
| Varenicline versus e‐cigarettes for smoking cessation | ||||||
| Patient or population: people who continued to smoke tobacco following acute coronary syndrome Setting: hospital Intervention: varenicline Comparison: e‐cigarettes | ||||||
| Outcomes | Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | № of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Risk with e‐cigarettes | Corresponding risk with varenicline | |||||
|
Smoking abstinence at longest follow‐up (6+ months) |
148 per 1000 | 481 per 1000 (179 to 1000) |
RR 3.25 (1.21 to 8.71) |
54 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝a,b Very low |
|
|
SAEs |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
54 (1 study) | ||
|
Neuropsychiatric SAEs |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
54 (1 study) | ||
|
Cardiac SAEs |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
Not estimable (no events in analysis) |
54 (1 study) | ||
| *The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). The assumed risk in the comparison group is calculated as the median risk in control groups. CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio; SAE: serious adverse event | ||||||
|
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect. Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate; the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different. Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited; the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect. Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate; the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect. | ||||||
aDowngraded two levels because of imprecision: fewer than 150 events in the analysis. bDowngraded one level because of risk of bias: sole study at high risk.