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| Blood test to help smokers 'find best way to quit' | Blood test to help smokers 'find best way to quit' |
| (less than a minute earlier) | |
| A blood test could help people choose a stop-smoking strategy that would give them the best chance of quitting, research in a Lancet journal suggests. | A blood test could help people choose a stop-smoking strategy that would give them the best chance of quitting, research in a Lancet journal suggests. |
| Studies show as many as 60% of people who try to give up start smoking again in the first week. | Studies show as many as 60% of people who try to give up start smoking again in the first week. |
| But researchers argue measuring how quickly a person breaks down nicotine could boost the chances of success. | But researchers argue measuring how quickly a person breaks down nicotine could boost the chances of success. |
| Other experts say the cost-effectiveness of these extra tests would need to be assessed. | Other experts say the cost-effectiveness of these extra tests would need to be assessed. |
| Patches or pills | Patches or pills |
| Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances in cigarettes - smokers crave more nicotine when their body's levels drop, prompting them to smoke again. | Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances in cigarettes - smokers crave more nicotine when their body's levels drop, prompting them to smoke again. |
| But different people break down nicotine at different rates. | But different people break down nicotine at different rates. |
| Some scientists suggest people who break it down more quickly may crave more cigarettes and in turn find it harder to quit. | Some scientists suggest people who break it down more quickly may crave more cigarettes and in turn find it harder to quit. |
| In this study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in the US enlisted some 1,240 people on different smoking cessation programmes. | In this study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania in the US enlisted some 1,240 people on different smoking cessation programmes. |
| They checked each volunteer's blood to see if nicotine was broken down at a normal or slow rate. | They checked each volunteer's blood to see if nicotine was broken down at a normal or slow rate. |
| Volunteers received either a nicotine patch, a drug called varenicline or treatment with a dummy pill. | Volunteers received either a nicotine patch, a drug called varenicline or treatment with a dummy pill. |
| Varenicline is a non-nicotine based drug that is available on prescription . Doctors balance potential side-effects - including the risk of depression and suicide - against the harms of continued smoking. | Varenicline is a non-nicotine based drug that is available on prescription . Doctors balance potential side-effects - including the risk of depression and suicide - against the harms of continued smoking. |
| Everyone in the trial had access to behavioural counselling too. | Everyone in the trial had access to behavioural counselling too. |
| Scientists found people who broke down nicotine at a normal rate had a better chance of quitting while using varenicline than those using nicotine replacement patches. | Scientists found people who broke down nicotine at a normal rate had a better chance of quitting while using varenicline than those using nicotine replacement patches. |
| Though volunteers who broke nicotine down more slowly had similar success rates whichever method they used, they reported more side-effects with the varenicline. | Though volunteers who broke nicotine down more slowly had similar success rates whichever method they used, they reported more side-effects with the varenicline. |
| Prof Caryn Lerman, one of the lead researchers, said: "If these tests are used, people could have a sizeable chance of success. | Prof Caryn Lerman, one of the lead researchers, said: "If these tests are used, people could have a sizeable chance of success. |
| Wider use | Wider use |
| "For some people, with normal metabolism of nicotine, the chance of success might be low on the patches but could double if they take the pill while for a third of the population with slower breakdown, cheaper patches might be best." | "For some people, with normal metabolism of nicotine, the chance of success might be low on the patches but could double if they take the pill while for a third of the population with slower breakdown, cheaper patches might be best." |
| Blood tests to check for nicotine breakdown speed are currently used in research but scientists say they could be easily developed for much wider use. | Blood tests to check for nicotine breakdown speed are currently used in research but scientists say they could be easily developed for much wider use. |
| Dr Neil Davies, of the University of Bristol, provided an independent comment: "The results are an important scientific advance. | Dr Neil Davies, of the University of Bristol, provided an independent comment: "The results are an important scientific advance. |
| "If the findings can be replicated they could lead to changes in practice. But there are still questions that need to be answered. | "If the findings can be replicated they could lead to changes in practice. But there are still questions that need to be answered. |
| "The cost-effectiveness of these tests would need to be taken into account." | "The cost-effectiveness of these tests would need to be taken into account." |
| Prof Robert West, from University College London, who was not involved in this paper, said: "We know that if people try to quit unaided their chance of success for a year is about 4%. | Prof Robert West, from University College London, who was not involved in this paper, said: "We know that if people try to quit unaided their chance of success for a year is about 4%. |
| "The way to succeed is to keep trying. It is like rolling a dice. If you keep rolling it you will succeed but if you stop rolling you will fail." | "The way to succeed is to keep trying. It is like rolling a dice. If you keep rolling it you will succeed but if you stop rolling you will fail." |
| The University of Pennsylvania research was published in the the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal. | The University of Pennsylvania research was published in the the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal. |