Clinical Efficacy of Telemedicine Compared to Face-to-Face Clinic Visits for Smoking Cessation: Multicenter Open-Label Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial

• DOI: 10.2196/13520
• Publication Date: 2019-04-11T15:04:32Z
• Authors: Akihiro Nomura; Tomoyuki Tanigawa; Tomoyasu Muto; Takafumi Oga; Yasushi Fukushima; Arihiro Kiyosue; Masaki Miyazaki; Eisuke Hida; Kohta Satake
• Keywords: Face-to-face; Nicotine replacement therapy

Tobacco is a major public health concern. A 12-week standard smoking cessation program available in Japan; however, it requires face-to-face clinic visits, which has been one of the key obstacles to completing program, leading low success rate. Telemedicine using internet-based video counseling instead regular visits could address this obstacle.This study aimed evaluate efficacy and feasibility an remote support compared with clinical visit among patients nicotine dependence.This was randomized, controlled, open-label, multicenter, noninferiority trial. We recruited nicotine-dependent adults from March June 2018. Participants randomized telemedicine arm received counseling, whereas control participants at each time point program. Both arms CureApp Smoking Cessation smartphone app mobile exhaled carbon monoxide checker. The primary outcome continuous abstinence rate (CAR) weeks 9 12. Full analysis set used for data analysis.We 115 dependence: 58 were allocated (internet-based counseling) 57, (standard visit) arm. analyzed all outcome. groups had similar CARs 12 (81.0% vs 78.9%; absolute difference, 2.1%; 95% CI -12.8 17.0), lower limit difference between (-12.8%) greater than prespecified (-15%).The application as CAR that telemedicine-based not inferior visit-based program.University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000031620; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000035975.