The researchers said that the nicotine patch plus lozenges proved to be the most effective out of all the five different smoking cessation modalities.

Megan E. Piper, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, and colleagues reported in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry that the combination was the only modality with significantly higher smoke-free abstinence rates after six months compared with placebo after controlling for tighter P-values.

The researchers said, "Combination pharmacotherapy comprising the nicotine patch and an ad libitum nicotine replacement therapy should be routinely considered for use as a smoking cessation treatment."

As per the background in the study, there is little comparative research on the efficacy of different smoking cessation pharmacotherapies.

The researchers said that the kind of evidence is necessary to make informed decisions about which products to use and prescribe.

A random trial conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 1,504 adults who had smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day for the last half a year.

Any use of any form of tobacco other than cigarettes, could disqualify patients who were currently taking bupropion (Zyban), or had a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia.

The rate of smoking was assessed at one week, eight weeks, and six months after the quit date.

It was found that all quitting modalities were better than placebo for initial cessation and seven-day point-prevalence abstinence rates at one week, after the treatment was completed and six months later.