A simple near-patient test for nicotine and its metabolites in urine to assess smoking habit.
We describe a disposable, near-patient urine test to monitor cigarette smoking. A plastic device contains the sealed dried reagents to measure nicotine and its metabolites, by a colorimetric assay. The device can be used to give a qualitative assessment of tobacco consumption, simply by observing a colour change. Alternatively, the test can be quantified by measuring the light absorbance with a simple colorimeter, and a concentration of nicotinic metabolites obtained with reference to a cotinine standard. A correction factor for the concentration of the urine sample, based on light absorbance, allows the result to be expressed as a ratio to urine concentration. This method correlates with reported daily cigarette consumption (r = 0.69, p < 0.0001) and compares favourably with cotinine, as measured by gas chromatography (r = 0.89, p < 0.0001). The method provides a simple-to-use, inexpensive way to monitoring tobacco consumption in extralaboratory situations.
Cope
G
G
Wolfson Applied Technology Laboratory, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Medical Center, UK.
Nayyar
P
P
Holder
R
R
Gibbons
J
J
Bunce
R
R
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000592:standards; D003367:Cotinine / Q000592:standards / Q000652:urine; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology / Q000652:urine*
D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine