The effectiveness of nicotine-patch therapy for smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenia

Received 28 January 2003; received in revised form 30 June 2003; accepted 14 July 2003.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of nicotine-patch therapy for smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenia. This was a longitudinal study and sixty-eight schizophrenic patients were assigned to 8 weeks of a nicotine-patch therapy program or a control group. The generalized estimating equation analysis revealed that there were significant reductions in the subjects’ nicotine dependence (Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire), the number of cigarettes per day, and CO levels over an 8-week period of nicotine-patch therapy and 3-month follow-up. The point-prevalence rates of abstinence from smoking were an abstinence of 26.9% at 8 weeks and 26.9% at a 3-month follow-up. At the 3-month follow-up, the rate of continuous smoking abstinence in the nicotine-patch group was 23.1%.

Keywords: Nicotine-patch therapy, Schizophrenia, Smoking cessation

a National Defense Medical Center, School of Nursing, No. 161, Sec. 6 Min-Chuan East Road, Nei-Hu, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC

b Nursing Department, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC

c Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Pei-Tou Hospital, Taiwan, ROC

d National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan, ROC

e Psychiatric Department, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC

Corresponding author. Tel.: +886-2-87923100; fax: +886-2-87923109

PII: S0020-7489(03)00168-8

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2003.07.001

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