Introduction: Our goal was to investigate whether ambulatory smoking cessation among patients in a cardiologic department would (1) reduce the number of smokers by at least 25% after 12 months compared to a control group and (2) influence whether the individual patient was readmitted to hospital. We used a randomised, controlled, prospective intervention project design.
Materials and methods: Everyone hospitalised during the project period was screened. Those who fulfilled the criteria for inclusion were randomised for inclusion in either the intervention group or the control group. Both groups were given the department's smoking cessation information. In addition, the intervention group attended five ambulatory smoking cessation intervention sessions. Each patient's smoking status was registered after 12 months. chi2-test and logistic regression analysis were used to test differences, associations and control of confounders.
Results: In all, 3,982 patients were screened, 29.5% of whom were smokers. The study included 105 patients: 54 in the intervention group and 51 in the control group. After 12 months, 52% of those in the intervention group compared to 39% in the control group had become non-smokers, which was non-significant (p = 0,14). Ischemic heart disease (IHS) was significantly associated with smoking cessation. After adjustment for this confounder, the result was enhanced (p = 0,06). Readmission to hospital was not affected by smoking cessation (p = 0,73).
Discussion: Ambulatory smoking cessation intervention had no significant effect on smoking cessation on an unselected group of patients in a cardiologic hospital department. The project does indicate that ambulatory smoking cessation interventions could have an effect on patients with IHS.