Effect of Early Initiation of Varenicline on Smoking Cessation in COPD Patients Admitted for Exacerbation: The Save Randomized Clinical Trial.

Our main objective was to demonstrate that, in smoker patients hospitalised for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) exacerbation, early initiation of varenicline during 12 weeks, combined with an intensive counselling, is associated with a higher continuous abstainers rate (CAR) at one year as compared to intensive counselling alone. In this multicenter, prospective, double-blind, randomised study, 81 smoking COPD patients hospitalised for an acute exacerbation for at least 24 h were allocated to receive either varenicline ( = 42) or placebo ( = 39) for 12 weeks, in association with an intensive counselling in the 2 groups, and followed up for 40 weeks. The primary outcome was CAR at week 52.

[Assessment of smoking cessation assistance in French pharmacies].

Introduction: While smoking continues to kill 73,000 people each year in France, new legislation allows pharmacists to ensure public health actions. How do pharmacists contribute to smoking cessation?

Methods: This study described smoking cessation professional practices, the tests used and dispensing of nicotine replacement therapy based on an online questionnaire administered to a random sample of 220 pharmacists, selected from the “Ordre des pharmaciens” website. The questionnaire concerned the type of pharmacy, place of smoking cessation support, knowledge and application of tests, training, referral to the physician and dispensing of nicotine replacement therapy.

[Epidemiology of urinary schistosomiasis among school children in Péhunco area, Northern Benin. Malacological survey].

Schistosomiasis is a public health problem in Benin but prevalence estimates vary widely. Parasitological (from May to September 2010) and malacological surveys (from September 2010 to June 2012) were conducted to determine the current status of urinary schistosomiasis among 1 585 schoolchildren from 18 primary schools of Péhunco area, North-West Benin, using two parasitological tests. Pupils were enrolled with a mean age of 11 years (from 7 to 16 years-old age) and 51.