[Comparative analysis of nicotine dependence and motivation to quit smoking in patients with bronchial asthma or COPD].

The aim of the study was to assess differences in tobacco addiction rate and motivation to quit tobacco smoking in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study comprised 384 males from Warsaw and its environs, aiming to quit smoking within the nearest year, without cardiovascular or neoplastic diseases, with at least medium education (17.19). The subjects were qualified into one of three groups: a control group--subjects without pulmonary diseases (n=143), patients with COPD (n=126) and patients with bronchial asthma (n=115). The smoking index (pack-years) was calculated in each group. The tobacco addiction rate was assessed with the Fageström questionnaire, and the motivation to quit smoking with the Schneider test. All data were obtained during individual examinations. The mean smoking index in the study population was 29.0 +/- 20.6 pack-years (control--27.0 +/- 20.6; asthma--25.2 +/- 14.2 and COPD--38.0 +/- 21.4). A high tobacco addiction rate was found in 40.5% of the patients with COPD, 37.1% of the patients with asthma and 30.3% of the subjects from the control group. The differences between the groups were not statistically significant (p>0.05). In the asthmatic group the percentage of subjects with a high motivation to quit smoking was significantly lower (48%) than in the COPD group (74%, p=0.005) and the control group (75%, p=0.002). It was found that patients with COPD significantly more frequently than asthmatics and people without pulmonary diseases need medical assistance in overcoming nicotine addiction.