Estimation and comparison of serum cotinine level among individuals with smoking and tobacco chewing habit

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: The present study was aimed to estimate and compare tobacco exposure in smokers and chewers. The levels of cotinine, one of the constituents of tobacco were considered as indicative of tobacco exposure. Serum Cotinine levels in individuals with the habit of smoking and tobacco chewing were estimated and compared. Base line values of cotinine levels in normal subjects were established. Materials and Methods: The study groups comprised about 30 individuals with the habit of smoking (Group A); these 30 individuals with the habit of tobacco chewing (Group B), and 20 individuals who were never exposed to any form of tobacco as control group (Group C). Serum cotinine levels were estimated using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in both test and control groups and the difference in the levels were compared. Results: In individuals with the habit of smoking, cotinine levels ranged between 11 ng/ml and 215 ng/ml with a mean concentration of 87.56. In tobacco chewers, the levels ranged between 11 ng/ml and 128 ng/ml with a mean concentration of 73.66. In control group, the levels ranged between 0.34 ng/ml to 2.5 ng/ml with a mean concentration of 0.93. Cotinine levels between smokers and tobacco chewers were compared and there was no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Difference in serum cotinine levels between smokers and tobacco chewers is not significant. The fact that cotinine level is influenced by age of the individual, frequency and duration of the habit seems to be irrelevant from the results obtained from this study. Prospective studies considering all the factors and variables, with a preferable larger sample size can probably eradicate the chaos on the reliability of cotinine as a predictive biomarker for the amount of tobacco exposure.

Keywords

• nicotine
• serum cotinine
• smoking
• tobacco chewing