Interested patients were then medically evaluated by their physician who documented eligibility on a study Medical Clearance Form listing exclusionary conditions and medications. selleck MG132 For patients meeting study criteria, the Medical Clearance Form was faxed to the study office by the clinic cessation coordinator. This study was approved by the Aurora Health Care IRB and the University of Wisconsin Health Sciences IRB. Procedure Patients were called within one business day of their clinic visit by a research staff person who explained the study and obtained verbal informed consent from the patient. The staff person then conducted a brief interview that included a smoking history and dependence assessment, obtained the patient��s contact information, and faxed a referral form to the WTQL to arrange for phone-based cessation counseling.

The staff person also randomized the patient to treatment, set a quit date with the patient, provided instructions to pick up medication at the clinic pharmacy, faxed a prescription to the clinic pharmacy, and entered the prescription into the EMR. At the clinic pharmacy, the pharmacist witnessed the patient signing the study consent form, collected the consent form, dispensed prepackaged study medication, and faxed the study office verifying that study medication was dispensed to the patient. Patients were randomized to receive one of the five active pharmacotherapy treatments used in the Efficacy trial (bupropion SR [n = 256], nicotine lozenge [n = 261]; nicotine patch [n = 282]; nicotine patch + nicotine lozenge [n = 279]; bupropion SR + nicotine lozenge [n = 268]) at the same dosage and for the same duration.

Measures for both trials Inclusion/exclusion criteria Primary inclusion criteria for participation in either study included: (a) being age 18 or older; (b) smoking >9 cigarettes daily for Cilengitide the last 6 months; (c) being motivated to quit smoking; and (d) for women, being willing to use an acceptable method of birth control while on study medication. Primary exclusion criteria for both studies included: (a) a history of seizures or convulsions, bipolar disorder, psychosis, anorexia, or bulimia nervosa; (b) any serious health conditions that would prevent participating in or completing the study; (c) current use of bupropion or an monoamine oxidase inhibitor in the previous 2 weeks; (d) allergy to any study medication; and (e) if women, currently being pregnant, breast feeding, or planning to become pregnant within the next 3 months. Assessments A demographics questionnaire assessed characteristics including gender, ethnicity, age, marital status, education level, and employment.