Nurse Smoking Cessation of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) With Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and Behavioral Support

Smoking Cessation of Patients With COPD: A Multi-Center, Randomized, Placebo Controlled Nurse Conducted Smoking Cessation Trial

This is a smoking cessation study with COPD patients where the researchers wanted to evaluate if nicotine sublingual tablets or placebo combined with low or high individual support could increase ½ and 1 year quit rates.

Placebo, controlled, randomized, double-blind trial with 400-1000 smoking COPD patients with FEV-1 < 90 % predicted normal with the use of nicotine sublingual nicotine tablets or placebo for 12 weeks combined with individual clinic visits with low or high intensity conducted by trained nurses in several centres in pulmonary clinics in Denmark. Outcome was smoking cessation and smoking reduction after ½ and 1 year as self declared smoking status confirmed by carbon monoxide in expired air< 10 ppm. Secondary outcomes were change in body-weight, quality of life (SF-36 and SGRQ), symptoms, lung function, adverse events.

Inclusion Criteria:

• COPD patients (FEV1/FVC<70% and FEV1<90 % predicted)
• Smoking 1 cigarette daily or more
• Willing to follow the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

• Used NRT or bupropion the last week
• Not able or willing to adhere to the protocol
• Estimated survival < 1 year