Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

41 questions · 43 findings · 9 reviews

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No studies found 2 · 4.7%GRADE not reported 10 · 23.3%Very low 3 · 7%Low 19 · 44.2%Moderate 4 · 9.3%High 5 · 11.6%

Varenicline vs placebo or no medication

SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline probably leads to higher SAEs (varenicline vs placebo or no medication) compared with placebo or no medication (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.23 [1.01, 1.48]
26 studies · 14356 participants
Moderate

Varenicline vs placebo or no medication

Neuropsychiatric SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in neuropsychiatric SAEs (varenicline vs placebo or no medication) compared with placebo or no medication (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.89 [0.61, 1.29]
22 studies · 7846 participants
Low

Varenicline vs placebo or no medication

Cardiac SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in cardiac SAEs (varenicline vs placebo or no medication) compared with placebo or no medication (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.2 [0.79, 1.84]
18 studies · 7151 participants
Low

Varenicline vs placebo or no medication

Smoking abstinence at longest · people who smoke

Varenicline leads to higher smoking abstinence at longest compared with placebo or no medication (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 2.32 [2.15, 2.51]
41 studies · 17395 participants
High

Varenicline vs bupropion

Smoking abstinence at longest · people who smoke

Varenicline leads to higher smoking abstinence at longest compared with bupropion (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.36 [1.25, 1.49]
9 studies · 7560 participants
High

Varenicline vs bupropion

SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in SAEs compared with bupropion (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.89 [0.61, 1.31]
5 studies · 5317 participants
Low

Varenicline vs bupropion

Neuropsychiatric SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in neuropsychiatric SAEs compared with bupropion (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.05 [0.16, 7.04]
2 studies · 866 participants
Low

Varenicline vs bupropion

Cardiac SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in cardiac SAEs compared with bupropion (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 3.17 [0.33, 30.18]
2 studies · 866 participants
Low

Varenicline vs nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy

Smoking abstinence at longest · people who smoke

Varenicline leads to higher smoking abstinence at longest compared with nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.25 [1.14, 1.37]
11 studies · 7572 participants
High

Varenicline vs nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy

SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline may leads to lower SAEs compared with nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.7 [0.5, 0.99]
6 studies · 6535 participants
Low

Varenicline vs nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy

Neuropsychiatric SAEs · people who smoke

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
1 study · 137 participants
GRADE not reported

Varenicline vs nicotine replacement therapy monotherapy

Cardiac SAEs · people who smoke

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
1 study · 137 participants
GRADE not reported

Varenicline vs combination nicotine replacement therapy

Smoking abstinence at longest · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in smoking abstinence at longest compared with combination nicotine replacement therapy (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.02 [0.87, 1.2]
5 studies · 2344 participants
Low

Varenicline vs combination nicotine replacement therapy

SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in SAEs compared with combination nicotine replacement therapy (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 2.15 [0.49, 9.46]
4 studies · 1852 participants
Low

Varenicline vs combination nicotine replacement therapy

Neuropsychiatric SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in neuropsychiatric SAEs compared with combination nicotine replacement therapy (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 4.69 [0.23, 96.5]
2 studies · 764 participants
Low

Varenicline vs combination nicotine replacement therapy

Cardiac SAEs · people who smoke

Varenicline showed no clear difference in cardiac SAEs compared with combination nicotine replacement therapy (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.32 [0.01, 7.88]
2 studies · 819 participants
Low

Varenicline vs e‐cigarettes

Smoking abstinence at longest · people who continued to smoke tobacco following acute coronary syndrome

It is very uncertain whether varenicline changes smoking abstinence at longest compared with e‐cigarettes (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 3.25 [1.21, 8.71]
1 study · 54 participants
Very low

Varenicline vs e‐cigarettes

SAEs · people who continued to smoke tobacco following acute coronary syndrome

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
1 study · 54 participants
GRADE not reported

Varenicline vs e‐cigarettes

Neuropsychiatric SAEs · people who continued to smoke tobacco following acute coronary syndrome

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
1 study · 54 participants
GRADE not reported

Varenicline vs e‐cigarettes

Cardiac SAEs · people who continued to smoke tobacco following acute coronary syndrome

1 finding from 1 review

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
1 study · 54 participants
GRADE not reported