Respiratory symptom relief related to reduction in cigarette use.

INTRODUCTION

Many smokers reduce their cigarette consumption during failed attempts to quit. We report the impact of changes in consumption on smoking-related respiratory symptom severity (SRRSS).

METHODS

Between February 2002 and May 2004 we recruited 383 smokers from 5 methadone maintenance programs for a randomized trial of nicotine replacement plus behavioral treatment versus nicotine replacement alone for smoking cessation. Cigarette use in the 28 days prior to the interview, and severity of SRRSS using a 7-item respiratory index, were assessed at baseline and at 3-month follow-up.

OUTCOME: Baseline minus 3-month assessment difference in SRRSS score.

RESULTS

Follow-up of 319 participants (83.3%), mean age 40.4 years, 51.4% male, who smoked 26.4 cigarettes per day, demonstrated a mean reduction of 16.7 cigarettes per day. A reduction in cigarette use was positively and significantly (b=0.29, t=5.16, P<.001) associated with a reduction in smoking-related symptom severity after adjusting for age, gender, race, years of regular smoking, baseline nicotine dependence, and history of treatment for asthma or emphysema. A 1 standard deviation reduction in average daily smoking (about 14.1 cigarettes) was associated with a 0.28 standard deviation decrease in smoking-related symptom severity.

CONCLUSION

Reduction in symptom severity increases as absolute reduction in daily smoking increases. This is the first study to demonstrate an association between subjective short-term health changes and reduction in smoking.