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

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 I 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 I year after stopping smoking.

Conclusion: We suggest that frequent and intensive motivational support in a research setting accounts for the high cessation rates.