Prospective, open-label, parallel-group, 52-week trial comparing varenicline in combination with behavioral support with one session of behavioral support alone.

Eligible patients were smokers hospitalized due to a) acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or b) bronchial asthma attack, or c) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

The primary outcome was the success rate (%) at week 52. Secondary outcomes were quality of life (QoL) alterations on the domains of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF36) and investigation of possible predictors for smoking abstinence.

Patients screened for eligibility were all the smokers who were hospitalized in the First Pulmonology Clinic of Kavala General Hospital from May 2012 to May 2014.

Patients had an initial private consultation session and motivational interview while still in the hospital. Following this interview, patients chose the smoking cessation intervention they preferred: either the standard regimen for varenicline and behavioral support or behavioral support without pharmacotherapy.

All patients quit smoking while still hospitalized.Follow-up phone calls with a minimum duration of 10 minutes were scheduled in weeks 1, 2, 4, and months 3,6 and 9 following smoking cessation.

Patients in both groups were asked to return to hospital in month 12 (week 52) for a final assessment. At this last visit, the SF36 was again completed and exhaled CO was (re) measured.

Inclusion criteria:

• Adult smokers (> 100 cigarettes in their lifetime)
• Patients hospitalized due to either a) acute exacerbation of COPD, or b) acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma, or c) community acquired pneumonia.
• Patients who agreed to participate and provided written informed consent were recruited.

Exclusion criteria:

• Inpatients younger than 18
• adult smokers hospitalized for any reason other than acute exacerbation of COPD / bronchial asthma or community acquired pneumonia.