RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Smoking cessation with a 16 h nicotine patch: results in a group of hospital workers
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 573
OP 575
DO 10.1183/09031936.97.10030573
VO 10
IS 3
A1 CA Jimenez Ruiz
A1 S Florez
A1 A Ramos
A1 L Ramos
A1 S Solano
A1 E Fornies
YR 1997
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/10/3/573.abstract
AB As part of a programme for the implementation of a Smoking Control Policy in our hospital, an open study, without randomization, of 65 hospital workers, who wanted to give up smoking, was carried out. The characteristics of smoking in each subject were recorded. The Fagerstrom Questionnaire was used to measure the degree of dependence on nicotine. The treatment consisted of the daily use of 16 h nicotine patches for 12 weeks. During the first 4 weeks, the patches contained 15 mg of nicotine, for the second 4 weeks, 10 mg, and for the last 4 weeks 5 mg (per patch and day). Five visits were scheduled during the 26 week study period: at the start of the study and after 4, 8, 12 and 26 weeks. The abstinence was checked by measuring carbon monoxide in end-expiratory air. The success rate was 31% after 12 weeks, and decreased to 29% after 26 weeks. In conclusion, the nicotine patches appeared safe and effective in this study.