Biomedical risk assessment as an aid for smoking cessation

Abstract

We did not find evidence that giving smokers feedback on their smoking exposure, their genetic risk of smoking-related disease, or the e ects of smoking on their body helps them quit smoking. The most promising results were for giving people feedback on the harm smoking does to their bodies. The studies did not report on harms or side e ects of providing feedback. However, given the nature of the measurements (lung or blood tests), we would expect the risk of harms to be low. Certainty of evidence Because of problems with the way some of the studies were conducted, we think that further research is likely to change our conclusions.

Effectiveness of a motivational intervention based on spirometry results to achieve smoking cessation in primary healthcare patients: randomised, parallel, controlled multicentre study

“…The evidence about the effect of spirometry as a motivational strategy to quit smoking is limited and controversial. 15 Our findings in this pragmatic clinical trial confirmed that patients who received brief advice plus detailed spirometry information doubled prolonged abstinence rates, compared with brief advice alone, in 12-month follow-up (HR 1.98 (95% CI 1.29 to 3.04)). Success was also more likely in participants at advanced stage of the change process (preparation or action), and in those who accepted an intensive-motivational intervention and/or use smoking cessation pharmacotherapy.…”

“… 25 In a recent systematic review that examined the effects of spirometry on smoking cessation, only one study (of five total) indicated efficacy of spirometry feedback and linked lung age to increased smoking quit rates. 15 …”

“…25 In a recent systematic review that examined the effects of spirometry on smoking cessation, only one study (of five total) indicated efficacy of spirometry feedback and linked lung age to increased smoking quit rates. 15 Spirometry is one of the main pulmonary function tests. There is a high availability of spirometers in primary healthcare, and their use has increased in this setting.…”

“…12 This could be explained by the smoker's ability to more easily see a causal link between smoking and direct damage (eg, older lung age), while indirect measures of exposure to tobacco (eg, expired CO), might not be enough to motivate behavioural change. 15 Some methodological characteristics could also explain contradictory study results. Only a few studies provide a definition of being a smoker, such as nicotine addiction levels according to the Fagerström score or stages of change according to Prochaska and Di Clemente.…”

“…The sample obtained from 571 participants allows to detect > 8% difference between the IG and CG in abstinence (absolute risk), a 10% in the CG, 15 maintained a power of 80% (beta risk) and a significance level (alpha risk) of 5%, in a two-tailed contrast, and assuming a patient loss to follow-up of 10%.…”