[Tobacco cessation. Action-stage result as a predictor of successful long-term maintenance].
OBJECTIVE
The paucity of long-term studies makes it difficult to evaluate the sustained abstinence over time of smokers who quit. The objective of the present study was to determine to what extent the results of tobacco cessation interventions are maintained after 5 years.


METHODS
This was a longitudinal prospective study of 502 smokers. The design was quasi-experimental given that therapy was allocated according to the level of the patients' nicotine dependence: routine minimum intervention for smokers with mild addiction and those not in the preparation stage, and nicotine replacement therapy for patients with moderate-to-high dependence and/or a high level of tobacco consumption.


RESULTS
Of the 267 patients followed for 5 years, 29.6% quit and were still abstinent at 1 year, and 18.0% remained abstinent after 5 years. Of those who had managed to stop smoking within 2 months of starting the intervention, 47.4% were still abstinent on follow-up at 5 years while 88.1% of those who failed to quit within 2 months were still smoking 5 years later.


CONCLUSIONS
The results observed during the action stage could be of use in reorienting the treatment approach, and a planned schedule of follow-up contacts could help patients maintain the abstinence achieved in the course of the intervention.
Barrueco Ferrero
Miguel
M
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. mibafe@telefonica.net
Torrecilla García
Miguel
M
Hernández Mezquita
Miguel Angel
MA
Jiménez Ruiz
Carlos A
CA
Morales Sánchez
Almudena
A
Alonso Díaz
Alejandro
A
Plaza Martín
Dolores
D
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide