Smoking Mechanics and Impact on Smoking Cessation: Two Cases of Smoking Lapse Status Post Lung Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Smoking behavior includes mechanisms taken on by persons to adjust for certain characteristic changes of cigarettes. However, as lung function declines due to lung-specific diseases, it is unclear how mechanical smoking behavior changes affect persons who smoke. We review two cases of patients who stopped smoking prior to and then subsequently resumed smoking after lung transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective review of two patients who were recipients of lung transplantation and sustained from cigarette usage prior to transplantation. RESULTS: Patient A was a 54-year-old woman who received a double lung transplant secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in October 2017. She had stopped smoking cigarettes in July 2015 (FEV1 .56 L). Patient B was a 40-year-old man who received a double lung transplantation due to sarcoidosis in January 2015. He stopped smoking cigarettes in February 2012 (FEV1 1.15 L). Post-transplant, Patient A resumed smoking on March 2018 where her FEV1 was at 2.12 L (5 months post-transplantation), and Patient B resumed smoking in April 2017 where his FEV1 was 2.37 L (26 months post-transplantation). CONCLUSION: We report on two patients who resumed smoking after lung transplantation. While variations of smoking mechanics have been identified as a function of nicotine yield and type of cigarette, it lung mechanics may play a role in active smoking as well. Therefore, proper screening for tobacco usage post-lung transplantation should be considered a priority in order to preserve transplanted lungs.

Prevalence of Mental Health and Social Connection among Patients Seeking Tobacco Dependence Management: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: with regards to tobacco dependence management, there are certain barriers to successful smoking cessation for patients, such as untreated anxiety and depression. Complicating the impact of mental health morbidities on tobacco dependence may be the significant portion of patients whose mental health issues and limited social connections are undiagnosed and unaddressed. We hypothesize that patients with no prior mental health diagnoses who are treated for tobacco dependence have high rates of undiagnosed mental health morbidities. METHODS: patients were recruited from a tobacco treatment clinic in 2021. Every patient who came for an inaugural visit without a prior diagnosis of mental health disease was screened for depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness. Sociodemographic variables were collected. RESULTS: over a 12-month period, 114 patients were seen at the tobacco treatment clinic. Of these 114 patients, 77 (67.5%) did not have a prior diagnosis of a mental health disease. The mean age was 54.3 ± 11.2 years, 52 (67.5%) were females, and 64 (83.1%) were Black/African American. The mean age of starting smoking was 19.3 ± 5.2 years, and 43 (55.8%) had never attempted to quit smoking in the past. With regards to mental health screening, 32 (41.6%) patients had a score of 9 or greater on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 9, 59 (76.6%) had a score of 7 or greater on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 7, 67 (87.0%) were identified with social isolation and 70 (90.1%) for loneliness on screening. CONCLUSION: there was a high prevalence of undiagnosed mental health morbidities and social disconnection in patients who were actively smoking and were struggling to achieve smoking cessation. While a larger scale study is necessary to reaffirm these results, screening for mental health morbidities and social disconnection may be warranted in order to provide effective tobacco dependence management.

Electronic Cigarette Cessation in Youth and Young Adults: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) usage use has increased exponentially, especially in youth and young adults. For many, the usage of these products results in a severe addiction, one that is difficult to discontinue. Further, e-cigarette cessation is challenging as there are no specific guidelines directing such medical management for patients and their respective clinicians. Here, we report a case series of patients who we are attempting to wean from e-cigarettes with medical guidance. METHODS: Six patients who self-reported daily e-cigarette usage and were enrolled in our Tobacco Treatment Clinic (TTC) were followed for 12-months. An inventory of the e-cigarette product and usage was captured, along with responses to identify when the patients experienced majority of their cravings. Co-morbidities, if present, were documented. Documentation of interventions, counseling with or without pharmacological therapies, were captured. Primary outcome was cessation at 6-months. RESULTS: The 6 patients enrolled in clinic ranged in age from 17 to 31 years, with 4 of the patients identifying as males and 2 as females. Patients were using e-cigarettes for 1 to 6 years prior to enrolling into the TTC. As for interventions, all patients received counseling and pharmacological interventions in the form of nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). Three of the 6 patients were weaned off e-cigarettes by 6-months, with a fourth patient weaned off at the 8-month mark. Variables identified as barriers to cessation included non-compliance with medical regimen and peer influence. DISCUSSION: Here we present a case series of attempting to wean persons from electronic cigarettes use. Given the lack of international guidelines in e-cigarette addiction management, we believe this case series will be of value for clinicians and their patients. Further studies are warranted to help patients with e-cigarette addiction in their attempt at cessation.

Improving lung cancer screening: An equitable strategy through a tobacco treatment clinic.

Annual screening with low dose chest tomography has been adopted for those at high risk to aid in the early detection of lung cancer. In addition to screening, it is recommended that such persons receive evidence-based smoking-cessation. However, both lung cancer screening and evidence-based smoking-cessation strategies are underutilized in the US. We review the impact of a dedicated Tobacco Treatment Clinic (TTC), delivering evidence-based smoking cessation strategies, on lung cancer screening enrollment. Patients of the TTC, aged 50 years or older, having a minimum 20-pack-year smoking history were included. All patients had records reviewed to see if they had received lung cancer screening; if their lung cancer screening was achieved through the TTC, this was documented as "initial screening" versus "continued screening or surveillance". Sociodemographic variables were collected as well. As for results, between January 2019 to February 2020, 92 patients enrolled in the TTC and fulfilled criteria for lung cancer screening. The mean age was 65.7 ± 8.3 years old, with 58 (63.0%) of the patients being female. Seventy-five (81.5%) patients were African American. Of the 92, 68 (73.9%) patients had lung cancer screening, with 51 patients receiving their first lung cancer screening scan through the TTC. In conclusion, through enrollment in a dedicated TTC, a significant proportion of patients were able to access lung cancer screening for the first time. Further, many of these patients were of minority status. Having a dedicated TTC may improve current health equity gaps in lung cancer screenings in certain US populations.