Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Laser Therapy and Behavioral Counseling in Tobacco Cessation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Unit of Public Health Dentistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005

2 Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005

10.34172/ahj.1601

Abstract

Background: Laser auricular acupuncture is a form of therapy that is non-invasive, aseptic, and painless, thus advantageous over the traditional form of acupuncture for tobacco cessation. The objective of the study is to evaluate and compare nicotine dependence, urinary cotinine level, physical effects, and quit rate among tobacco chewers before and one month after laser therapy and behavioral counseling, and to evaluate and compare extrinsic stains one month post-intervention.
Methods: The present study was a randomized controlled trial, with laser therapy and behavioral counseling as the test and control interventions, respectively. The laser was focused on both ears once a week for four weeks. Counseling sessions were held once a week for four weeks. Nicotine dependence, urinary cotinine level, physical effects, as measured using the Visual Analog Scale, and quit rate were recorded before and after the intervention.
Results: The results showed significant reductions in nicotine dependence in both laser and counseling groups post-intervention (P < 0.001). Urinary cotinine levels increased significantly in the counseling group post-intervention (P = 0.010). Inter-group comparison revealed significant differences in pre- and post-intervention cotinine levels (P < 0.05). Adjusted analysis confirmed significant post-intervention differences between the groups (P = 0.048).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that combining laser auricular acupuncture therapy with behavioral counseling yields superior outcomes for smokeless tobacco cessation compared to behavioral counseling alone. The combined approach results in greater reductions in nicotine dependence, lower urinary cotinine levels, slightly higher quit rates, and significant improvements in various physical effects associated with tobacco use.

Highlights

Naveen Kumar PG(Google Scholar)(Pubmed)

Keywords

References

  1. Tiwari RK, Sharma V, Pandey RK, Shukla SS. Nicotine addiction: neurobiology and mechanism. J Pharmacopuncture. 2020;23(1):1-7. doi: 10.3831/kpi.2020.23.001.
  2. Parsons LH, Hurd YL. Endocannabinoid signalling in reward and addiction. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2015;16(10):579-94. doi: 10.1038/nrn4004.
  3. Koob GF, Arends MA, Le Moal M. Drugs, Addiction, and the Brain. 1st ed. Waltham, MA: Academic Press; 2014.
  4. Ma C, Xi B, Li Z, Wu H, Zhao M, Liang Y, et al. Prevalence and trends in tobacco use among adolescents aged 13-15 years in 143 countries, 1999-2018: findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Surveys. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2021;5(4):245-55. doi: 10.1016/s2352-4642(20)30390-4.
  5. Rai B, Bramhankar M. Tobacco use among Indian states: key findings from the latest demographic health survey 2019- 2020. Tob Prev Cessat. 2021;7:19. doi: 10.18332/tpc/132466.
  6. Global Adult Tobacco Survey Fact Sheet India 2016-2017. GATS 2. Available from: https://assets.tobaccofreekids.org/ global/pdfs/en/GATS_India_2016-17_FactSheet.pdf.
  7. Collins SE, Witkiewitz K, Kirouac M, Marlatt GA. Preventing relapse following smoking cessation. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2010;4(6):421-8. doi: 10.1007/s12170-010-0124-6.
  8. Borup G, Mikkelsen KL, Tønnesen P, Christrup LL. Exploratory survey study of long-term users of nicotine replacement therapy in Danish consumers. Harm Reduct J. 2015;12:2. doi: 10.1186/1477-7517-12-2.
  9. Li DP, Kong LH, Qin R. Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating simple obesity. Journal of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 2014;16(4):100- 2.
  10. Chon TY, Lee MC. Acupuncture. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013;88(10):1141-6. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.06.009.
  11. Velangi CS, Yavagal PC, Nagesh L. Role of auricular laser acupuncture and psychological counseling in reducing nicotine dependence due to smoking: a randomized controlled trial. Indian J Public Health. 2021;65(3):243-9. doi: 10.4103/ijph.IJPH_810_20.
  12. Ebbert JO, Patten CA, Schroeder DR. The Fagerström test for nicotine dependence-smokeless tobacco (FTND-ST). Addict Behav. 2006;31(9):1716-21. doi: 10.1016/j. addbeh.2005.12.015.
  13. National Cancer Institute. Clinical Trial Randomization Tool [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://ctrandomization. cancer.gov/. Accessed February 14, 2023.
  14. Jenkins PA, Carroll JD. How to report low-level laser therapy (LLLT)/photomedicine dose and beam parameters in clinical and laboratory studies. Photomed Laser Surg. 2011;29(12):785-7. doi: 10.1089/pho.2011.9895.
  15. Lobene RR. Effect of dentifrices on tooth stains with controlled brushing. J Am Dent Assoc. 1968;77(4):849-55. doi: 10.14219/ jada.archive.1968.0298.
  16. Macpherson LM, Stephen KW, Joiner A, Schäfer F, Huntington E. Comparison of a conventional and modified tooth stain index. J Clin Periodontol. 2000;27(11):854-9. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-051x.2000.027011854.x.
  17. Yavagal PC, Nagesh L. Efficacy of laser auricular acupuncture for smoking cessation: a randomised controlled trial. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2021;21(2):e275-81. doi: 10.18295/ squmj.2021.21.02.017.
  18. Kerr CM, Lowe PB, Spielholz NI. Low level laser for the stimulation of acupoints for smoking cessation: a double blind, placebo controlled randomised trial and semi structured interviews. J Chin Med. 2008;86:46-51.
  19. Tan CH, Sin YM, Huang XG. The Use of Laser on Acupuncture Points For Smoking Cessation. American Journal of Acupuncture 1987;15(2):137-41.
  20. Rhonda Mostyn DC, Eng RD, Kristina Hachey CG, Mandel A. Laser Acupuncture Therapy for the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction. Toronto: Theralase Technologies Inc; 1945. Available from: https://theralase.com/wpcontent/ uploads/2019/06/Smoking-Cessation-Clinical-Study.pdf. Accessed April 2022.
  21. Yiming C, Changxin Z, Ung WS, Lei Z, Kean LS. Laser acupuncture for adolescent smokers--a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Am J Chin Med. 2000;28(3-4):443-9. doi: 10.1142/s0192415x00000520.
  22. Lim RC. Painless laser acupuncture for smoking cessation. Med Acupunct. 2018;30(3):159-62. doi: 10.1089/acu.2018.1295.
Addiction & Health
Volume 17
Pages 1-8

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics