[Factors affecting the success or failure of smoking cessation using nicotine patches].

We identified the initial diagnostic factors that influenced the success or failure of patients trying to quit smoking using nicotine patches. In a smoking cessation treatment program at a smoking clinic, each patient received about 30 minutes of counseling in the initial diagnosis, then undertook a 2-month smoking cessation program using the nicotine patch. Between March 2000 and June 2002, 45 patients consulted the clinic. We attempted to monitor 30 patients whose smoking status we were able to observe. The patient group consisted of 5 women and 25 men who ranged in age from 22 to 75 years (mean age, 49 years). A follow-up survey by telephone was carried out (median follow-up time: 184.5 days). Actuarial smoking cessation curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons were made with the generalized Wilcoxon test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. At the end of the two-month period, 86.3% of the patients had not resumed smoking; at one year after the program began, 56.7% had not resumed smoking. In the univariate analysis, the significant factors in the failure to maintain cessation were: a smoking start age of under 18 years, no affective disease, and smoking the day's first cigarette within 5 minutes after waking up (p < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, the independent predictive factors in failure were: a starting smoking age of under 18 years and no affective disease (p < 0.05). Thus, patients who started smoking at a young age or who were free of affective disease were more likely to fail in their attempt to quit smoking. Attention to these factors is necessary as part of the guidance provided for smoking cessation.