Gabapentin for smoking cessation

Introduction: We conducted a preliminary proof-of-concept study evaluating gabapentin for the treatment of tobacco dependence. Methods: Subjects (N = 80) were randomized to gabapentin (600 mg three times per day or 900 mg three times per day) or placebo. After a 2-week dose titration, the target dose was maintained for 9 weeks and then tapered over 1 week. Follow-up was for 12 weeks after the medication phase. Results: The study had high dropout rates with more than one half of participants in each arm discontinuing study. Gabapentin-treated participants exhibited lower abstinence rates than placebo-treated participants; however, this difference was not significant. Smoking reduction was observed across all treatment arms compared with baseline (p < .01) but did not differ across treatment groups. Discussion: Although not definitive, our findings suggest that gabapentin administered at these doses with this dosing regimen holds little promise for the treatment of tobacco dependence in a population of smokers seeking treatment.