High cessation rates of cigarette smoking in subjects with and without COPD.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: In general, smoking cessation programs have low success rates. We evaluated the effectiveness of a 1-year smoking cessation program. This program was part of a research project investigating the effects of smoking cessation. PARTICIPANTS: In this longitudinal study on the effects of 1 year of smoking cessation, 38 smokers with COPD or chronic bronchitis (mean age, 55 years; 20 men) and 25 healthy subjects (mean age, 50 years; 11 men) who smoked on average 22 cigarettes per day were recruited. METHODS AND RESULTS: An experienced nurse and a researcher conducted an intensive nonpharmacologic smoking cessation program based on 15 group meetings of 8 to 10 participants. A uniquely high number of 16 COPD or chronic bronchitis patients (42%) and 17 healthy subjects (68%) did not smoke 1 year after stopping smoking. CONCLUSION: We suggest that frequent and intensive motivational support in a research setting accounts for the high cessation rates.