Relationship between tobacco craving and quitting smoking using Tobacco Craving Index (TCI) in Japanese smoking cessation therapy

Introduction: Tobacco Craving Index (TCI) and probability of success of quitting smoking was similar to that between the QSU-brief score and probability of success of quitting smoking. Objectives: To clarify association between TCI and success of quitting smoking in patients who received smoking cessation therapy (SCT) in Japan. Methods: TCI consists of two axes: one is strength of craving, and the other is frequency of craving. We performed multi-institutional study and obtained TCI from 889 participants who received SCT in 5 hospitals. Results: The study participants ranged in age from 17 to 88 years and mean age was 52.8 years. The mean age gradually decreased as the baseline TCI grade increased (p< 0.001). Thirty-six percent of participants were defined high nicotine dependence. As the TCI grade increased, the proportion of participants who defined high nicotine dependence were increased (p< 0.001). Those who had TCI grade of Ⅲ were significantly more depressed, less motivated, and less self-efficacy than those who had grade 0,Ⅰ,or Ⅱ. As the TCI grade increased, the proportion of participants who failed quitting smoking were increased, that trend became more significant through 5 session. We performed logistic regression analysis to identify the associations between TCI grade at the first to fifth sessions and the success of quitting smoking at the fifth session, while adjusting for confounding factors. When participants whose TCI grade 0 orⅠas a reference group, whose TCI gradeⅡor Ⅲ was lower quitting smoking rate particularly after the 2nd session. As the TCI grade increased, the probability of smoking cessation was lower. Conclusion(s): These finding demonstrates that TCI is a useful indicator to predict quitting smoking in Japanese SCT.