Long-term relationship between methylphenidate and tobacco consumption and nicotine craving in adults with ADHD in a prospective cohort study
European Neuropsychopharmacology, 07/27/2012
Clinical Article
Bron TI et al. – Although the net effect of methylphenidate on smoking behavior and craving should be further investigated within a randomized, placebo–controlled design, the results suggest that active prevention of increased smoking is needed in patients prescribed methylphenidate.
Methods- The authors studied the acute and long-term relationship between methylphenidate use and tobacco consumption and nicotine craving among ADHD patients naïve for methylphenidate (N=325).
- Patients filled out the Smoking Questionnaire (SQ) at baseline, and after two-weeks and three-months of methylphenidate use.
- The SQ involved questions on demographics, tobacco consumption, nicotine craving, life events, psychiatric diagnoses and use of medication.
- At baseline, smoking prevalence of ADHD patients was twice as high (50.2%) as the national norm (25.6%; p<.001).
- Tobacco consumption increased with 1.3 cigarettes per day after three-months of methylphenidate use.
- When translated into pack years, tobacco consumption increased by about 23 packs per year.
- Reports of increased nicotine craving after methylphenidate, increased with 20.3% after two weeks and 29.2% after three months.
- Light smokers (1-12 cigarettes/day) were especially at risk for increased tobacco consumption (p<.05).
