CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT02638597GEMNICUpdated Feb 1, 2019Results posted

Gemfibrozil for Nicotine Smoking Cessation

A Phase 2 interventional study of Gemfibrozil and smoking cessation counseling in Smoking Cessation, sponsored by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 64 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-02-01.

Sponsored by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
16
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 64 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This project will test whether gemfibrozil, a well-studied medication for high cholesterol, will help people stop smoking nicotine cigarette smoking. The study will also test whether gemfibrozil decrease cravings for cigarette and the desire to smoke.

Read the detailed description

This is a pilot clinical trial examining the feasibility and efficacy of gemfibrozil treatment for smoking cessation. Adults with a desire to quit nicotine cigarette smoking will be recruited. Eligible participants will be randomly divided into two groups: those who receive gemfibrozil and waitlist controls. Screening will be conducted with a brief phone screen followed by a longer screening visit for those who qualify. During the screening visit, all study participants will provide demographic information and will be interviewed regarding smoking history. Procedures performed during the screening visit include a blood draw, urine pregnancy test, physical exam, clinical psychiatric interview, and measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide (CO). At baseline, participants will complete the Heavy Smoking Index (HSI) and the Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU-Brief). Participants will also complete the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms-Self Rated (QIDS-SR) to assess symptoms of depression and changes in mood associated with smoking cessation will be assessed with the Concise Associated Symptoms Tracking (CAST) scale . Participants will work with the research clinician to set a target quit date within one week of the baseline session, and all participants will be provided written materials with guidance for smoking cessation as part of a smoking cessation counseling session. All participants will attend visits at the research clinic at 3 days and 4 weeks from target quit date to assess safety, adherence, and smoking status; participants will also receive additional smoking cessation counseling. Smoking status will be determined with exhaled breath CO and a single item questionnaire regarding the number of cigarettes smoked since target quit date and symptoms of depression and mood changes will again be measured. Medication side effects will be quantified using the Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Rating (FIBSER) scale. The final study visit will occur at 8 weeks after target quit date for completion of the HSI, QIDS-SR, CAST, FIBSER, exhaled breath CO, QSU-Brief, and smoking self-report.

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Conditions studied

  • Smoking Cessation
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is the lead sponsor of 990 studies on the registry; 201 are open to participants now.

Of its 135 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 100 (74%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 64 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18-64 years
  • Meet DSM-5 criteria for tobacco use disorder based on cigarette use
  • Desire to quit smoking
  • Able to complete assessments and interview in English

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Psychiatric co-morbidity posing safety risk, including current suicidality or psychosis as assessed on clinical interview
  • Concurrent use of a statin medication (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor),anticoagulant, or repaglinide
  • Concurrent use of any FDA-approved medication for smoking cessation
  • Use of any form of tobacco or nicotine (including vaporizer) other than cigarette smoking
  • Any DSM-5 substance use disorder other than nicotine use disorder
  • History of intolerance to any fibrate medication
  • History of gallbladder disease and cholestectomy has not been performed
  • Baseline liver function tests > twice the upper limit of normal
  • Severe impairment of renal function (baseline serum creatinine ≥ 2 mg/dL)
  • Currently pregnant or nursing
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Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
16 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Gemfibrozil

    Participants in this arm will receive smoking cessation counseling and will be provided gemfibrozil 600 mg twice daily by mouth for 9 weeks, starting one week prior to target quit date and ending with study completion

    Drug: Gemfibrozil · Behavioral: smoking cessation counseling

  • Other
    Waitlist

    Participants in this arm will receive the smoking cessation counseling but will not receive medication. After completing the trial without medication, participants who continue to smoke and have a desire to quit may choose to enter the gemfibrozil arm.

    Behavioral: smoking cessation counseling

Interventions

  • DrugGemfibrozil

    FDA Approved Drug(s)/Biologic(s) (study use is not an FDA-approved use)

    Also known as: Lopid

  • Behavioralsmoking cessation counseling

    smoking cessation counseling

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Exhaled Carbon Monoxide (CO)

    Exhaled carbon monoxide change from baseline to last available visit.

    Time frame: 8 weeks after target quit date

Secondary outcomes

  1. Heaviness of Smoking Index

    The outcome measure was Heaviness of Smoking Index at exit. The Heaviness of Smoking Index is a two-item scale, with scores on each item rated on a 1-4 likert scale. The total score of the measure ranges from 2-8, with higher scores indicating worse outcome.

    Time frame: 8 weeks after target quit date

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Results

Posted Feb 1, 2019

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneWaitlistGemfibrozil
Started88
Completed43
Not completed45

Outcome measures

PrimaryExhaled Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Exhaled carbon monoxide change from baseline to last available visit.

Time frame:
8 weeks after target quit date
Reported as:
Mean · Parts p/million
Exhaled Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Parts p/millionGemfibrozilWaitlist
Exhaled Carbon Monoxide (CO)10.88 ± 12.6321.63 ± 22.04
SecondaryHeaviness of Smoking Index

The outcome measure was Heaviness of Smoking Index at exit. The Heaviness of Smoking Index is a two-item scale, with scores on each item rated on a 1-4 likert scale. The total score of the measure ranges from 2-8, with higher scores indicating worse outcome.

Time frame:
8 weeks after target quit date
Reported as:
Mean · score on a scale
Heaviness of Smoking Index
score on a scaleWaitlistGemfibrozil
Heaviness of Smoking Index1.25 ± 1.041.63 ± 1.30

Adverse events

Non-serious events are listed at a 5% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Gemfibrozil—0/8 (0%)1/8 (12.5%)
Waitlist—0/8 (0%)1/8 (12.5%)
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
EventGemfibrozilWaitlist
Arm bruisingSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders0/81/8
Abdominal painGastrointestinal disorders1/80/8

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)WaitlistGemfibrozilTotal
<=18 years000
Between 18 and 65 years8816
>=65 years000
Age, Continuous
Age, Continuous(Years)WaitlistGemfibrozilTotal
Mean25.25 ± 14.1237.50 ± 22.0231.38 ± 18.07
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)WaitlistGemfibrozilTotal
Female6612
Male224
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(Participants)WaitlistGemfibrozilTotal
United States8816
08

Study locations

1 site
  • Parkland Memorial Hospital
    Dallas, Texas 75235, United States
09

References and documents

Publications

  • Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Ibrahim HM, Carmody TJ, Arnow B, Klein DN, Markowitz JC, Ninan PT, Kornstein S, Manber R, Thase ME, Kocsis JH, Keller MB. The 16-Item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), clinician rating (QIDS-C), and self-report (QIDS-SR): a psychometric evaluation in patients with chronic major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Sep 1;54(5):573-83. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(02)01866-8. Erratum In: Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Sep 1;54(5):585. PubMed 12946886 ↗
  • Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, Morris DW, Fava M, Kurian BT, Gollan JK, Nierenberg AA, Warden D, Gaynes BN, Luther JF, Rush AJ. Concise Associated Symptoms Tracking scale: a brief self-report and clinician rating of symptoms associated with suicidality. J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Jun;72(6):765-74. doi: 10.4088/JCP.11m06840. PubMed 21733477 ↗
  • Wisniewski SR, Rush AJ, Balasubramani GK, Trivedi MH, Nierenberg AA; STARD Investigators. Self-rated global measure of the frequency, intensity, and burden of side effects. J Psychiatr Pract. 2006 Mar;12(2):71-9. doi: 10.1097/00131746-200603000-00002. PubMed 16728903 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 1, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02638597
Lead sponsor
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Responsible party
Madhukar H. Trivedi, MD (Madhukar H. Trivedi, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 23, 2015
Start date
Feb 2015
Primary completion
Dec 23, 2016
Completion
Dec 23, 2016
Results posted
Feb 1, 2019
Last update
Feb 1, 2019

Study contacts

Madhukar Trivedi, MD
principal investigator · University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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