title: Smoking cessation effectiveness in smokers with COPD and asthma under real life conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although smoking cessation is strongly indicated by international guidelines as an effective therapeutic tool for patients with COPD and Asthma, a large proportion of them do not quit smoking and they are regarded as a "difficult" target group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effectiveness of an intensive smoking cessation program in smokers with COPD and asthma under real-life conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  166 smokers with COPD, 120 smokers with asthma and 1854 control smokers attended the smoking cessation program in the out-patient patient Smoking Cessation Clinic of the Pulmonary Department in Athens University. Continuous Abstinence Rate (CAR) was evaluated in 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the target quit date.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Short-term CAR (in 3 months) was 49.4% for COPD smokers, 51.7% for asthmatic smokers and 48.0% for the control group of smokers. 12 months after the initial visit the CAR was 13.9%, 18.3% and 15.9%, respectively. No statistically significant differences between groups at any study period were found. Smokers with good compliance with the program had higher long-term CAR after 12 months: 37.7% in COPD smokers, 40.0% in asthmatic smokers and 39.3% in control smokers. High CAR was observed at all stages of COPD severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the view that smokers with respiratory obstructive airway diseases of any severity should be offered an intensive smoking cessation program with regular and long-term follow-up. This will help them to achieve high abstinence rates and prevent relapses.
authors.affiliation: Smoking Cessation Clinic, Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: chgratziou@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Gratziou
authors.affiliation: Smoking Cessation Clinic, Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Florou
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Medical School, Evaggelismos Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ischaki
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Medical School, Evaggelismos Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eleftheriou
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Insurance Science, University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sachlas
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Insurance Science, University of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bersimis
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary and Critical Care Department, Medical School, Evaggelismos Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zakynthinos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Asthma; COPD; Real life studies; Respiratory diseases; Smoking cessation