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Risk factors for smoking abuse after heart transplantation
A Basile1, S Bernazzali, F Diciolla
1UO Psicologia Azienda Ospedatiera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy. lorecamy@katamail.com
Transplantation Proceedings
|April 28, 2004
Summary
Heart transplant patients who recently quit smoking are at higher risk of relapse. Shorter cessation periods and specific Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scores indicate a greater need for transplant team support to maintain smoking cessation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychology
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Smoking cessation is crucial for heart transplant recipients.
- Understanding factors influencing relapse post-transplant is vital for patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate smoking relapse rates in heart transplant patients.
- To identify predictors of smoking re-abuse after heart transplantation.
- To explore the relationship between psychological factors and smoking cessation success.
Main Methods:
- Clinical interviews assessed smoking habits before and after heart transplantation in 103 patients.
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was administered to 81 patients.
- Patients were categorized by duration of smoking cessation (short-term vs. long-term).
Main Results:
- 17.6% of patients who quit smoking before transplant relapsed.
- Short-term cessation (<1 year) was associated with a significantly higher relapse rate (40%) compared to long-term cessation (>1 year) (8.3%).
- MMPI scores indicated lower self-control (Scale K) and more difficult adaptation (Scale Ma) in patients with shorter cessation periods.
Conclusions:
- Patients with recent smoking cessation and specific MMPI profiles (low self-control, difficult adaptation) are at increased risk for relapse.
- Heart transplant teams should provide enhanced support to high-risk patients to reinforce smoking cessation.
- Early intervention and psychological support are key to long-term smoking abstinence in this population.