A new Cochrane review on electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: should we change our practice?. Issue 6 (24th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pisinger, Charlotta; Vestbo, Jørgen
• Is Part Of: European respiratory journal. Volume 56:Issue 6(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-24
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.04083-2020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-1936

Abstract

In 2014, a Cochrane review concluded that there was evidence from two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that electronic cigarettes help smokers to stop smoking long term. The confidence in the result was rated "low". In 2016, the same conclusion was reached. In the recently published 2020 update [1], the authors write that they included 50 completed studies, representing 12 430 participants. When you read closer, the smoking cessation conclusions are based on 12 RCTs, and half of these were small studies. The authors judged only four of the studies to be at low risk of bias [2–5]. There are several concerns regarding the review. Contradicting results from cohort studies were not considered. Smoking cessation rates achieved with e-cigarettes are low. The harms of long-term e-cigarette use will outweight the potential benefit. https://bit.ly/3khrzBZ