[Effects of spirometric screening in the community on smoking cessation]

In the years 1998-2000 in the Centre of COPD and Respiratory Failure in Bydgoszcz a group of tobacco smokers at risk of COPD (over 40 years of age, with smoking history of more than 10 packyears) were studied. Every patient filled-in a simple questionnaire on clinical signs of COPD and tobacco habit, had a spirometry performed according to ATS standards and received a short antitobacco counseling together with a booklet on how to quit smoking. Out of 1072 patients studied in 1998, airway obstruction was found in 200. Eighty seven of these were current smokers (studied group-S). Another 90 current smokers with normal spirometry served as a control group-C. Both groups of smokers were invited in 1999 and 2000 to perform spirometry. Changes in smoking habit were recorded at each yearly visit. After one year 13 patients (15%) from the S group and 4 (4.5%) from the C group permanently stopped smoking. In 2000 24 patients (28%) in S group and 13 (14.7%) in C group permanently quit smoking.

Spirometric screening in smokers at risk of COPD together with a minimal antismoking intervention seems to be a promising method of smoking cessation.