Ability to predict tobacco relapse in patients with bronchial asthma

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the factors that determine the effectiveness of smoking cessation in patients with bronchial asthma and assessing the possibility of predicting early tobacco relapse. Materials and methods. In total, 130 patients with moderate asthma (BA) (20-67 years old) who regularly smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day for more than 3 years (70 men and 60 wo­men) were examined. Patients were surveyed on the Fagerstrom test, the motivation to quit smoking, on the questionnaire for the assessment of medical and social factors, relapse smoking (WPPRQ). The following groups were identified: patients who smoked who could not quit smoking - group 1; patients who had a relapse up to 30 days after the quit day - group 2; patients whose relapse occurred in the period from 1 to 4 months - group 3; patients who with successful smoking cessation (abstinence duration was 6 months or more) - group 4. Results. 48.6% of BA patients had a high motivation to quit smoking. Of the examined patients, 53% were overweight or obese, and after rejecting smoking, 47% of BA patients (all those who are overweight or obese) gained weight. The quality of life was rated as good by most patients with asthma (50%); bad - in 4.5% of cases, neither bad nor good - 36%; excellent - 9.5%. The leading cause of smoking cessation in all groups was the desire to maintain health - 60%. In the group of BA patients who could not stop smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day was significantly higher (p<0.05 between groups 1 and 2), the duration (p<0.05 between groups 1 and 2), the degree of nicotine dependence (p<0.05 between 1 and 2 groups). The groups differed significantly in the presence of a smoking environment: in group 1, smoking in the family was found in 72.5% of cases, in group 2 - in 72%, in group 3 - in 67%, in group 4 - in 12% of cases (p<0.005 compared with 1, 2 and 3 groups). 80% of patients had increased anxiety, 20% had a depressive mood, while all patients experiencing depressive moods could not stop smoking. The results of the study on the WPPRQ questionnaire showed that in the group with a relapse the total result was more 4 points on the WPPRQ questionnaire in 85% of cases. In the no-relapse group, the total score more 4 points was determined only by 12.5% of cases. The most significant factors influencing the occurrence of smoking relapse in patients with BA were the presence of a smo­king environment and the smoking of the first cigarette during the first 5 to 30 minutes after awakening. Conclusion. Leading importance for the occurrence of relapses in patients with bronchial asthma were a high degree of ni­cotine dependence and the presence of a smoking environment, primarily in the family of the patient. The “Wisconsin Predicting Patients' Relapse questionnaire” questionnaire allows to predict the early relapse of tobacco smoking in patients with bronchial asthma.