The effectiveness of Cytisine versus Nicotine Replacement Treatment for smoking cessation in the Russian Federation

Background: There is just one study comparing the effectiveness of cytisine and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation. In the Russian Federation, both products are widely available as over-the-counter medications. Data on the real-world use of these medications among the general population would be informative. Methods: Cross-sectional study using data from a nationally representative household survey of adults aged ≥ 15 years from the Russian Federation (part of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System Data). From the total sample (n = 11,406), 4,807 (42%) respondents stated they smoked cigarettes. Of this group, 1,403 (29%) stated they had tried to quit smoking in the past year, of which 88 (6%) had used cytisine and 186 (13%) had used NRT in their attempt. Results: 30-day and 90-day self-reported smoking abstinence rates for NRT were 36% and 11%, respectively. In comparison, 30-day and 90-day self-reported smoking abstinence rates for cytisine were 50% and 25%, respectively. After adjusting for age and gender, cytisine was found to be more effective than NRT for 90-day abstinence [Odds Ratio = 2.91, 95% Confidence Intervals = 1.28-6.59, p = 0.011]. Conclusions: These findings appear to support previous trial evidence that cytisine is superior to NRT in helping smokers quit.