Stopping smoking: a prospective, randomized, double-blind study comparing nortriptyline to placebo

The administration of antidepressant drugs was shown to positively affect the rate of smoking cessation. This study evaluates the efficacy of nortriptyline in an antismoking program. A possible randomized double-blind study that included 144 patients who were randomized to receive nortriptyline, 75 mg/d (68 patients), or placebo (76 patients), during 6 consecutive weeks. All patients attended behavioral group orientation for 5 weeks. The rate of success, complications, adherence to the regime, and factors of pretreatment prognosis were evaluated (multivariate analysis). The groups were balanced in relation to the characteristics of the patients on entering the study. Patients receiving nortriptyline showed significantly higher cessation rate (55.9%) compared to the group receiving placebo (23.3%; p < 0.001). In a univariate analysis on prognosis factors influencing the rate of cessation in our study, the Fagerström test results (p = 0.005) and nortriptyline (p < 0.001) were identified. Logistic regression showed that a Fagerström test score of < 7 (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47 to 6.7; p = 0.003) and nortriptyline use (OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 2 to 8.3; p < 0.001) were independent factors impacting the rate of success for smoking cessation. No significant complications were observed in the nortriptyline group. This study showed that nortriptyline significantly increases the smoking cessation rate in chronic smokers, as compared to the placebo group, without any significant side effects.