Background
: Nicotine dependency has been known as an important discouraging factor for the most smokers who have already tried to quit smoking. We would like to find out factors affecting cessation of smoking by analyzing symptoms and signs of nicotine withdrawal and adverse effects of transdermal nicotine therapy(nicotine patch) when nicotine addictors try to stop smoking.

Methods : The records of 69 patients who were diagnosed as nicotine dependency by DSM-Ⅲ-R and were administered with transdermal nicotine patch at Nicotine Clinic of Yonsei Medical Center from March 1, 1992 to August 31, 1992.

Results : Unsuccessful quitters reported more withdrawal symptoms and signs and more adverse effect of nicotine patch than successful quitters as the follow-up period become longer, but the intensity of withdrawal symptoms and adverse effects of nicotine patch did not relate to the follow-up period : Unsuccessful quitters had more severe symptoms and adverse effects than sucessful quitters.

Conclusion : The severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms and adverse effects of nicotine patch would influence the successful rates for cessation of smoking. As withdrawal symptoms and signs and adverse effects of nicotine patch become more severe, the failure of cessation of smoking would be more expected.