A programme for reducing smoking in pre-operative surgical patients: randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Public Health
• Surgical Care

Background:

• Smoking poses significant risks to surgical patients, increasing complication rates and hindering recovery.
• Pre-operative interventions are crucial for optimizing patient health before undergoing surgical procedures.
• Identifying and supporting dependent smokers is key to improving surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive smoking cessation program for surgical patients.
• To compare abstinence rates between an intervention group receiving nicotine replacement therapy and a usual care control group.
• To assess smoking cessation at two time points: pre-surgery and three months post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 210 smokers scheduled for surgery.
• Participants were allocated to either an intervention group (nicotine replacement therapy for dependent smokers) or a usual care control group.
• Abstinence was self-reported before surgery and at a 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Dependent smokers in the intervention group showed higher abstinence rates before surgery (73%) compared to the control group (56%).
• At 3 months post-attendance, intervention group participants were more likely to be abstinent (18%) than controls (5%).
• The intervention demonstrated a statistically significant increase in smoking abstinence (OR 2.2 pre-surgery, OR 3.9 at 3 months).

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive pre-operative smoking cessation program, including nicotine replacement therapy, is effective in promoting smoking abstinence in dependent surgical patients.
• The intervention significantly improves quit rates both immediately before surgery and in the longer term (3 months).
• Implementing such programs can lead to better patient outcomes and potentially reduce surgical complications.