Abstract
COPD smokers have specific features of their smoking habit.
We reviewed medical histories of all COPD patients who were treated in our Unit between January 2004 and January 2010.Medical and smoking histories were obtained during the baseline visit, as well as different test results such as FTND-questionnaire, Reward Test and Test to measure psychological, social and gestual dependence.
These test results obtained were compared whit those of a historical group of non-COPD patients treated in our Unit (Control Group).
472 COPD smokers showed the following data for gender (65% were male), average age 58,3 (9,8), number of cigarettes per day 29,7 (13,4), number of years smoking 40,5 (9,9) and number of pack-years 59,1 (30,2). For the control group, which consisted of 1850 patients, these data were 50% male, 47,8 (11), 28,3 (10,4), 32,3 (11,5) and 45,8 (25,7), respectively.
The average score on FTND-questionnaire was 7,4 (2,1) for COPD patients, against 6,5 (2,4), p<0.001 in the control group. 79% of COPD smokers were a negative reward smokers, against a 56% of the control group, p<0.01.
COPD patients had a low rate on gestual and social dependence, as well as on automatism. On the contrary, they had a high rate on psychic dependence and sedation.
COPD smokers who attend a smoking cessation unit are generally male over 55 years old, have higher figures of years smoking and higher pack-year figures than the control group. Their physical nicotine dependence is higher than for those in the control group. They are negative reward smokers more often and more significantly than those in the control group.
COPD smokers have a low grade of gestual and social dependence and a high grade of psychic dependence.
- © 2011 ERS