EVarQuit

The EVarQuit2 trials is the latest in a programmatic series of clinical trials led by Dr. Hawk. The overarching goal is to use basic learning principles to enhance quit smoking rates.  Specifically, we are evaluating the degree to which increasing the duration of medication people take before they try to quit smoking: (a) extinguishes smoking reinforcement during the pre-quit period and (b) helps people to quit and stay abstinent. It’s a straightforward treatment adaptation that can be readily implemented.

The primary outcomes manuscript can be found here:

  • Hawk, L.W., Jr., Tiffany, S.T., Colder, C.R., Ashare, R.L., Wray, J.M., Tyndale, R.F., Brandon, T.H., & Mahoney, M.C. (2022). Effect of extending the duration of pre-quit treatment with varenicline on smoking abstinence: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 5(11):e2241731.DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.41731.

Other data from the EVarQuit2 trial can be found in:

  • Chenoweth, M.J., Kim, Y.J., Nollen, N.L, Hawk, L.W., Jr., Mahoney, M.C., Lerman, C., Knight, J., & Tyndale, R.F. (2024). Genetic prediction of smoking cessation medication side effects: A genome-wide investigation of abnormal dreams on varenicline. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 115, 1277-1281. DOI: doi:10.1002/cpt.3210.
  • Cooper, R.K., Mahoney, M.C., Tiffany, S.T., Colder, C.R., Tyndale, R.F., & Hawk, L.W., Jr. (2024). Relationships between the nicotine metabolite ratio and laboratory assessments of smoking reinforcement and craving among adults in a smoking cessation trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 26, 604-611. DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad232.
  • Gass, J. C., Tonkin, S., Maguin, E., Colder, C.R., Mahoney, M. C., Tiffany, S. T., & Hawk, L. W., Jr. (2024). A preliminary randomized trial of reinforcement contingencies to improve compliance with ecological momentary assessment. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 14, 60-65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibad066.
  • Tonkin, S.S., Gass, J.C., Wray, J.M., Maguin, E., Mahoney, M.C., Colder, C.R., Tiffany, S.T., & Hawk, L.W., Jr. (2023). Evaluating declines in compliance with ecological momentary assessment in longitudinal health behavior research. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e43826. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/43826.
  • Ferkin, A.C., Tonkin, S.S., Maguin, E., Mahoney, M.C., Colder, C.R., Tiffany, S.T., & Hawk, L.W., Jr. (2022). A psychometric evaluation of the Stanford Expectations of Treatment Scale (SETS) in the context of a smoking cessation trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24, 1914-1920. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntac187.
  • Novalen, M., Chenoweth, M.J., Zhao, B., Hawk, L.W., Jr., Tyndale, R.F. (2022). Stability of varenicline concentration in saliva over twenty-one days at three storage temperatures. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24(2), 270-274. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntab173. PMID: 34460924.
  • Lawson, S.C., Gass, J.C., Cooper, R.K., Tonkin, S.S., Colder, C.R., Mahoney, M.C., Tiffany, S.T., & Hawk, L.W., Jr. (2021). The impact of three weeks of pre-quit varenicline on reinforcing value and craving for cigarettes in a laboratory choice procedure. Psychopharmacology, 238, 599-609. PMID: 33219852. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-020-05713-7.
  • Mahoney, M.C., Park, E., Schlienz, N.J., Duerr, C., & Hawk, L.W. (2021). Transitioning to remote clinic visits in a smoking cessation trial during the SARS coronavirus-2 pandemic: Mixed methods evaluation. JMIR Formative Research, 5(4), e25541. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2196/25541. PMID: 33878020.
  • Rosoff-Verbitt, Z., Logue-Chamberlain, E., Fishman, J., Audrain-Mcgovern, J., Hawk, L., Mahoney, M., Mazur, A., & Ashare, R. (2021). The perceived impact of COVID-19 among treatment-seeking smokers: A mixed methods approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 505. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020505. Published as part of a special issue: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/Smoking_Vaping_COVID-19

Previous clinical trials in this research line include:

  • Brandon, T.H., Unrod, M., Drobes D.J., Sutton, S.K., Hawk, L.W., Simmons, V.N., Brandon, K.O., Roetzheim, R.G., Meltzer, L.R., Miller, R.R., & Cahill, S.P. (2018). Facilitated extinction training to improve pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation: A pilot feasibility trial. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 20, 1189-1197.  DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntx203. PMID: 29059409. PMCID: PMC7868958.
  • Hawk, L.W., Jr., Ashare, R.L., Rhodes, J.D., Oliver, J., Cummings, K.M., & Mahoney, M.C. (2015). Does extended pre-quit bupropion aid in extinguishing smoking behavior?  Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17(11), 1385-1392. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntu347. PMID: 25589680. PMCID: PMC4612343.
  • Hawk, L.W., Jr., Ashare, R.L., Lohnes, S.F., Schlienz, N.J., Rhodes, J.D., Tiffany, S.T., Gass, J.C., Cummings, K.M., & Mahoney, M.C. (2012).  The effects of extended pre-quit varenicline treatment on smoking behavior and short-term abstinence: A randomized clinical trial.  Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 91, 172-180. DOI:10.1038/clpt.2011.317 PMCID: PMC3325094.