The Success of Smoking Cessation Treatments: the Gulhane Experience

This study aimed to evaluate the success and factors that affected the success of smoking cessation treatments adopted in the Gulhane Smoking Cessation Polyclinic (SCP). The smokers admitted to SCP from January 1, 2018, to July 15, 2019, were included in the study. The participants were treated with varenicline or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The number of all participants was 598, and 196 (32.8%) of them quitted smoking successfully. The varenicine group (n=264) had significantly higher number and percentage of participants who successfully quit smoking than the NRT group (n=334), which accounted for 113 (42.8%) and 83 (24.9%), respectively (p<0.001). The highest smoking cessation rate was detected in the group with low Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FIND) at 79.5% (p<0.001). Participants without comorbidity had higher smoking cessation rates than others (p=0.002). The mean numbers of follow-up visits were higher in the successfully quit group with a mean number of 4.2 (p<0.001). CBT combined with varenicline was found to be more successful than CBT combined with NRT in smoking cessation. The reliability of varenidine, low FIND level, absence of comorbidity, and increased numbers follow-up visits were found to be contributing factors to this success.