Abstract

Factors associated with outcome were investigated in the British Thoracic Society's study of smoking withdrawal in 1550 patients attending hospital with smoking related diseases. A long term abstinence rate of 9.7% was found. Men did better than women, 12.2% of them succeeding in stopping smoking compared with 5.3% of the women. Success rate increased with age, and people with heart disease did better than those with any other diagnosis. The success rate of the best group, men with heart disease, was 21%. Sex, age, and diagnosis appeared to act independently. If the most important other person in the patient's life was a non-smoker success was more likely. Weight increased by an average of 5.9 kg over a year in those who stopped smoking.