title: Nicotine metabolism and addiction among adolescent smokers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the association between the nicotine metabolic rate and smoking behavior, including addiction, in adolescent smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline data from a prospective study of adolescent smoking behaviors and nicotine metabolism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting was an out-patient university hospital in San Francisco.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent smokers (n = 164) aged 13-17 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed self-report measures of smoking behavior and nicotine dependence (modified Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire: mFTQ). The nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR), a phenotypic marker of the rate of nicotine metabolism, was calculated using the ratio of concentrations of deuterium-labeled 3'-hydroxycotinine to cotinine-d(4) .
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants reported smoking a mean of 2.86 cigarettes per day (CPD) [median = 1.78, standard deviation (SD) = 3.35] for 1.37 years (median = 1.0, SD = 1.36). Results from multivariate analyses accounting for age, race/ethnicity, gender and duration of smoking indicated that slower metabolizers smoked more CPD than faster metabolizers (the NMR was inversely related to CPD; P = 0.02). Slower metabolizers also showed greater dependence on the mFTQ (NMR was negatively associated with the mFTQ; P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In adolescence, slower clearance of nicotine may be associated with greater levels of addiction, perhaps mediated by a greater number of cigarettes smoked.
authors: Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. rubinsteinm@peds.ucsf.edu
authors: Mark L
authors: ML
authors: Rubinstein
authors: Saul
authors: S
authors: Shiffman
authors: Anna-Barbara
authors: AB
authors: Moscicki
authors: Michelle A
authors: MA
authors: Rait
authors: Saunak
authors: S
authors: Sen
authors: Neal L
authors: NL
authors: Benowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003367:Cotinine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*; D003903:Deuterium; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C001381:hydroxycotinine; D003903:Deuterium; D003367:Cotinine