Cessação do tabagismo em idosos

Abstract

Introduction : The older smokers often are not encouraged to quit smoking, because the erroneous idea that it is too late for such intervention. Currently, this situation needs to be reviewed, owing to the increase in life expectancy and the improved quality of life. Objective : to compare smoking cessation rates, using a cutoff of 60 years. Methodology : In a cohort study design, smokers (n=987) were submitted to the same cognitive behavioral therapy associated with pharmacotherapy at the Smoking Cessation Clinic of Hospital Sao Lucas, in Porto Alegre, Brazil from July 2004 to June 2009. The smoking cessation rates were evaluated at 2, 6 and 12 months. Abstinence was confirmed by exhaled exhaled carbon monoxide<10ppm. Volunteers were grouped according to age <60y and >60years old. Results : The abstinence rates (±SD) for the <60 years group were 57.1% (±1.9), 46.8% (± 2.1) and 43.5% (± 2.7) at 2, 6 and 12 months of follow-up, respectively. The rates for the >60 years group were 67,4% (± 4,3), 52,3% (±5,4) e 53,3% (± 5,4), respectively. The difference was not statistically significant using Cox regression (adjusted HR 0.90; 95%CI 0.66 1.22; p=0.48). Conclusions : In this routine clinical care setting, the smoking cessation treatment determined similar abstinence rates in both smokers age groups.