Whats the advantage of using cotinine measurements when I can rely on patients telling whether theyve quit or not?
Most patients may try to be truthful when answering questions about their smoking behavior. Self-reporting can be unreliable, however; consciously or unconsciously patients may temper their responses to please their doctor. More importantly, it’s not only how many cigarettes are smoked, but also the nicotine content of the cigarettes smoked, and how they’re smoked. Two individuals may each have cut down to “half a pack” a day, but one may have switched to a higher tar, unfiltered product which is inhaled more fully, and the second may switch to a lower tar cigarette which is occasionally puffed. These two “half a pack” a day smokers would be exposed to much different levels of cigarette smoke, discernible only by an objective standard such as cotinine.
