Abstract:
This research was a pre-experimental study with the purposes to study: (1) smoking abstinence rate (2) adverse events and (3) factors associated with smoking cessation in outpatient Thai smokers treated with bupropion. The study was carried out at Thunyarak Hospital during November 2003 to June 2004. One hundred and four patients were included in the study; 87.5% males and 12.5% females with an average age of 35.43+-11.76 years old. About 53% of the patients smoked on average of 11-20 cigarettes/day. Smoking started at the mean age of 18.26+-4.43 years old and the mean duration of smoking was 17.17+-11.57 years. The mean scored of Fagerstr{232}om Test for Nicotine dependence was 4.88+2.49. Psychological dependence was the main factor of continued smoke in 68.3% of the patients. About 80% of the patients had tried to quit smoking and 31.7% were able to quit smoking for at least 1 6 months. The patients were given bupropion SR 150 milligrams once daily in the morning for 3 days and then increased to twice daily in the morning and evening during the 8-week treatment period. The quit date was scheduled at day 8 of treatment and smoking abstinence rate was evaluated at 8 weeks and 3 months. There were 30 patients completed the study. The point prevalence abstinence rate (PA) at 8 weeks and 3 months evaluated from patient interview were 25.0% and 24.0%, and the continuous abstinence rate (CA) at the same periods were 17.3% and 14.4%, respectively. The abstinence rate was confirmed by measuring the cotinine in urine: the PA at 8 weeks and 3 months were 22.1% and 20.2%, and the CA were 17.3% and 14.4%, respectively. Dry mouth and insomnia were the most adverse events experienced by the patients, 26.9% and 25.0%, respectively. The mean weight loss in the patients who were continuously abstinent during the 3 month period was 0.36 kilograms. The factors significantly associated with the PA at 3 months confirmed by urine cotinine were: (1) being single (OR = 0.21; 95%CI = 0.07-0.63, p = 0.006), (2) the number of prior smoking cessation attempts (OR = 1.30; 95%CI = 1.07-1.60, p= 0.01), and (3) the patients with motivation level at preparation stage was able to quit smoking higher than at contemplation stage (OR = 4.92; 95%CI = 1.76-13.71, p= 0.002)