Analysis of the effectiveness of smoking cessation in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in a hospital setting

According to the WHO, tobacco use is currently the leading cause (16%) of all adult deaths. Studies conducted in many countries and in the Russian Federation have revealed the association between smoking and pulmonary tuberculosis (PT). Due to the negative impact of tobacco smoking on the course of tuberculosis and the effectiveness of treatment, there is a need to develop approaches to smoking cessation in patients with PT. Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of PT in smoking patients in combination with nicotine replacement therapy in an inpatient setting. Methods. The study included 27 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PT. The inclusion criteria for the study were: age 18 years and older, patients who are currently active smokers, and a confirmed diagnosis of PT. The exclusion criteria were the presence of asthma and oncological diseases, unconfirmed diagnosis of PT, and earlier history of tobacco use. In the study group, an analysis of the smoking status was carried out. This status was based on the length of smoking period, number of cigarettes per day, and calculation of the smoking patient index. The degree of nicotine addiction, the presence of withdrawal symptoms, and the motivation of patients to quit smoking were assessed. The principle of nicotine dependence treatment was to prescribe nicotine-containing drugs in a dose depending on the degree of nicotine addiction. The duration of treatment was 12 weeks. Results. After 4 months of PT treatment, the cessation of bacterial excretion was detected 2 times more often, the closure of decay cavities in the lung tissue - 2.5 times more often, the relief of systemic inflammatory reactions - 2 times more often in patients who quit smoking than in patients who continue to smoke. Conclusion. This study showed that the treatment of PT in smokers was more effective in combination with nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation than when the patients continued to smoke.