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Smoking cessation in elective surgical patients offered free nicotine patches at listing: a pilot study
Author(s) -
Webb A. R.,
Coward L.,
Soh L.,
Waugh L.,
Parsons L.,
Lynch M.,
Stokan L.A.,
Borland R.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/anae.14863
Subject(s) - medicine , nicotine , smoking cessation , abstinence , nicotine gum , regimen , cotinine , nicotine replacement therapy , anesthesia , surgery , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology , placebo
Summary Free nicotine patches may promote pre‐operative smoking cessation. Smokers (≥ 10 cigarettes.day −1 ) awaiting non‐urgent surgery were randomly assigned (3:1) to an offer of free nicotine patches or a control group who were not offered free nicotine patches. The suggested regimen lasted 5 weeks, with patch strength decreasing incrementally after 3 and 4 weeks. The primary outcome was smoking abstinence for ≥ 4 weeks, as self‐reported by participants on the day of surgery, including, where possible, corroboration using exhaled carbon monoxide testing. Out of 600 included smokers, 447 (74.5%) were randomly assigned to an offer of pre‐operative nicotine patches, with 175 (39.1%) of these accepting the offer and 56 (12.5%) using patches for ≥ 3 weeks. Out of 396 participants offered nicotine patches who were included for analysis, 36 (9.1%) quit smoking for ≥ 4 weeks before surgery as compared with 8 (5.9%) controls, OR 1.5 [95% CI 0.7–3.2], p = 0.300. Sixty‐three (15.9%) quit smoking for 24 h before surgery as compared with 15 (11.1%) controls, OR 1.4 [95% CI 0.8–2.4], p = 0.200. Participants offered nicotine patches were more likely to engage in a cessation attempt lasting more than 24 h, 46 (11.6%) vs. 5 (3.7%), OR 3.4 [95% CI 1.8–8.8], p = 0.010. Out of 78 participants who quit smoking by the day of surgery and were followed up at 6 months, 46 (59%) had relapsed. Offering free nicotine patches stimulated interest in quitting compared with controls, but our protocol had limited effectiveness.