The impact of repeated spirometry and smoking cessation advice on smokers with mild COPD.
BACKGROUND
Smoking cessation is the most important therapeutic intervention in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and the health benefits are immediate and substantial. Major efforts have been made to develop methods with high smoking cessation rates.


OBJECTIVE
To study whether a combination of spirometry and brief smoking cessation advice to smokers with COPD, annually for three years, increased their smoking cessation rate in comparison with groups of smokers with normal lung function.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized study in primary care. Smoking cessation rates were compared between smokers with COPD followed-up yearly over a period of three years and smokers with normal lung function followed-up yearly for three years or followed-up only once after three years.


RESULTS
The point-prevalence abstinence rate and prolonged abstinence rate at 6 and 12 months increased yearly and in smokers with COPD at year 3 was 29%, 28%, and 25%, respectively. The abstinence rates were significantly higher in smokers with COPD than in smokers with normal lung function. Smoking cessation rates among smokers with normal lung function did not increase with increasing number of follow-ups.


CONCLUSIONS
Smokers diagnosed with COPD stopped smoking significantly more often than those with normal lung function.
Stratelis
Georgios
G
Primary Health Care Centre Brinken, Motala and Department of Health and Society, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Linköping, Linköping. Georgios.Stratelis@lio.se
Mölstad
Sigvard
S
Jakobsson
Per
P
Zetterström
Olle
O
D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity; D000078329:Workforce