Is 24h nicotine equivalents a surrogate for smoke exposure based on its relationship with other biomarkers of exposure?

Abstract

Nicotine and its 5 major metabolites (Nicotine equivalents, NE) may serve as a surrogate biomarker for smoke exposure.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between nicotine equivalents (NE) and biomarkers of exposure (BOE) to cigarette smoke.

Methods: Data from nine controlled studies in 916 adult smokers were used. BOEs to nicotine, NNK, pyrene, acrolein, benzene, 1,3-butadiene and CO were used.

Results: Among all the factors investigated (NE, cigarette type, age, gender, BMI and study), NE was the most statistically significant factor for all biomarker relationships. Weak to moderate relationships (0.32 ≤ R² ≤ 0.65) were found between NE and the BOEs.

Conclusions: Based on the relationships with BOEs, NE may be considered as a surrogate biomarker of total cigarette smoke exposure.

Keywords::

• Nicotine Equivalents
• biomarkers of exposure to cigarette smoke
• surrogate
• biomarker relationships

Acknowledgement

The authors thank MDS Pharma Services, Lincoln, Nebraska for study conduct and data management. The authors thank Dr. Shixia Feng for bioanalytical input and review as well as Dr. Hans Roethig for providing useful comments.

Declaration of interest

All authors are or were employees of Philip Morris USA Inc./Altria Services Inc.