Outpatient smoking cessation program in the state of Ceará, Brazil: patient profiles and factors associated with treatment success.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate patient profiles and factors associated with successful treatment.


METHODS
A retrospective study of patients enrolled in the smoking cessation program at the Hospital de Messejana, located in the state of Ceará, Brazil, from October of 2002 to April of 2005. The treatment was evaluated based on patient profile, type of medication prescribed and time on that medication.


RESULTS
Of the 320 patients enrolled, 65.5% were women. The mean age at the outset of treatment was 48 years, and the mean duration of the smoking habit was 33 years. More than 90% of the patients had started smoking before the age of 20. Of the 258 individuals who had enrolled in the program at least one year prior, 50.8% had achieved treatment success; 17.8% had relapsed, and 31.4% had not quit smoking. On average, partial success was achieved in the fifth week of the treatment, and relapse occurred predominantly in the fourth month. Approximately 60% of the patients were treated with medication.


CONCLUSIONS
Quitting smoking was significantly associated with the use of medication, regardless of the profile of the smoker evaluated. In the second year of the program, quitting smoking was more strongly associated with the use of bupropion and nicotine replacement, resulting in a higher success rate and a trend toward a reduction in the relapse rate.
Sales
Maria Penha Uchoa
MP
Faculdade Integrada do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil. penhauchoa@hotmail.com
de Figueiredo
Mara Rúbia Fernandes
MR
de Oliveira
Maria Irenilza
MI
de Castro
Helano Neiva
HN
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine