Predictors of past quit attempts and duration of abstinence among cigarette smokers

Objective: Despite the widespread awareness of the harms of smoking, millions continue to smoke around the world partly due to the difficulty it takes to quit smoking. Identifying the factors associated with making quit attempts is an essential pillar to reach successful quitting. The purpose of this study is to assess the factors associated with the past quit attempts and their past length of abstinence in a Lebanese sample of cigarette smokers

Methods: This study was conducted between March 2014 and March 2015, involving 382 patients randomly chosen from 5 outpatient clinics in 5 hospitals in Lebanon. A standardized questionnaire was completed including socio-demographic characteristics, smoking behavior, chronic respiratory symptoms, Fagerstrom scale, Mondor scale, packaging perception, quitting behavior and readiness to quit ladder. Results: Smokers who have chronic allergies [ORa = 2.45, p = 0.03], those who have ever stopped smoking for at least one month due to the warnings implemented on the packages [ORa = 4.6, p< 0.0001] and smokers with an intention to quit in 2 months [ORa = 2.49, p < 0.0001] had significantly more past quit attempts

Results: Furthermore, longer quit attempts duration [more than 1 month] were significantly associated with low-nicotine dependent smokers [ORa = 0.56, p = 0.02], higher-motivated smokers [ORa = 1.85, p = 0.01], people with chronic allergies [ORa = 2.07, p = 0.02], smokers who have ever stopped smoking for at least one month due to the warnings [ORa = 3.72, p < 0.0001] and those with an intention to quit in 2 months [ORa = 1.98, p = 0.05]

Conclusion: The promoters of smoking cessation services should consider these factors when designing comprehensive tobacco control initiatives and in service planning

Water-pipe [narguile] smokers in Lebanon: a pilot study

We carried out a comparative study to assess the demographic and social characteristics of water pipe [WP] smokers, the association with cigarette smoking and chronic respiratory diseases and the dependence profile on 4 groups: exclusive WP smokers, exclusive cigarette smokers, mixed smokers and absolute non-smokers. Cigarette smoking was statistically significantly higher in WP smokers than non-WP smokers; 36.5% of exclusive WP smokers smoked >/= 7 WPs/week. Chronic respiratory disease and chronic bronchitis were reported more frequently in exclusive WP smokers than absolute non-smokers. WP smoking seems to be as great a risk factor as cigarette smoking for chronic respiratory disease

Combined coronary surgery and aortic valve replacement after previous right pneumonectomy

Cardiac surgery in patients with previous pneumonectomy is infrequently reported. We report a case of combined coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement in a patient with left ventricular ejection fraction less then 35% and a previous right pneumonectomy. All steps in operative management of this rare condition are discussed