ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE VERSUS TRADITIONAL THERAPIES FOR SMOKING CESSATION: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Smoking is a significant cause of preventable deaths. This study compares the use of electronic cigarettes with traditional therapies for smoking cessation. The aim is to determine whether electronic cigarettes are safer and more effective than the conventional methods currently employed in smoking cessation treatments, considering their global public health impact. Methods: The study was guided by the PRISMA methodology adapted for an Overview, and the research question was developed using the PICO strategy. Articles were retrieved from the MEDLINE/PUBMED, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, and SCIELO databases, filtered according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and subsequently underwent data extraction. Results: The findings suggest that, while electronic cigarettes are effective in smoking cessation compared to isolated therapies, combined therapies appear to be more effective. Moreover, electronic cigarettes are associated with a higher incidence of adverse events, and the statistical significance of their efficacy and safety is limited due to data dispersion. Discussion: The overview of systematic reviews on electronic cigarettes (EC) versus traditional therapies (TT) for smoking cessation (SC) revealed significant variability in methodologies and outcomes, complicating the ability to draw general conclusions. Nicotine-containing EC was more effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), counseling, and non-nicotine EC, but some TT, when combined or administered in flexible doses, were more cost-effective. The lack of regulation and the diversity of outcomes suggest that EC might not be the best intervention. Conclusion: Hence, the importance of analyzing the impact of EC use for SC is evident. However, the limitations in homogenizing the comparison of the collected studies restricted the generalization of an approach, highlighting data heterogeneity as the main obstacle to formulating solid guidelines. Therefore, the results underscore the need for protocol regulation and the importance of adhering to them for smoking cessation.