| Methods |
Country: Croatia
Recruitment: community volunteers |
| Participants |
160 smokers |
| Interventions |
1. Nicotine patch, 24 h, 25 mg/15 mg/8 mg starting dose depending on baseline cpd. 6 weeks
2. Nicotine patch, 24 h, 25 mg/15 mg starting dose depending on baseline cpd. 3 weeks
3. Placebo patch. 6 weeks
4. Placebo patch 3 weeks
Level of support: low |
| Outcomes |
Abstinence at 6 months after EOT
Validation: CO < 11 ppm |
| Notes |
Both durations pooled for main comparison
Study funding information not reported
Author supplied additional details in personal communication |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Method not stated |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Quote: "presealed numbered envelopes" |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Quote: "The envelopes were prepared well in advance and the distribution was commissioned to a nurse not taking part in the evaluation process" |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Not stated |
| Other bias |
Unclear risk |
Abstinence defined as ≤ 2 cigarettes per week |
