Developments in smoking cessation interventions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the past 5 years: a scoping review

Introduction Smoking cessation is the most effective strategy for slowing the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, COPD patients find it difficult to quit smoking with standard cessation interventions. Areas covered A scoping review of smoking cessation for COPD patients was conducted by searching the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for all studies published between 1 January 2016 and 22 September 2021. Four themes were set up and 47 studies were included eventually. The majority of the included studies (61.7%, 29/47) investigated efficacy and effectiveness, including new strategies for extended treatment and mobile health (mHealth) delivery approach. Studies examining accessibility and utilization (31.9%, 15/47), safety (10.6%, 5/47), and health economics (6.4%, 3/47) were also reviewed. The quality of the included randomized controlled trials was also evaluated. Expert opinion Pharmacotherapy combined with behavioral interventions delivered via mHealth may be a promising strategy to help COPD smokers quit. However, the overall quality of the current studies is poor, making it challenging for clinicians to make informed decisions. Future high-quality studies are needed to provide conclusive evidence on the optimal pharmacotherapies and the most cost-effective comprehensive smoking cessation interventions, particularly those integrated into disease management for smokers with COPD.

Automated summary

This article conducted a scoping review of smoking cessation interventions for COPD patients, and found that the current methods have limited effectiveness in COPD patients. Most of the studies explored new treatment strategies, such as extended treatment and the use of mobile health. They suggested that pharmacotherapy combined with mHealth showed promise for helping COPD smokers quit. However, the overall quality of the existing studies is poor, and more high-quality research is needed.