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Levels of saliva cotinine in electronic cigarette users
Author(s) -
Etter JeanFrançois
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12475
Subject(s) - cotinine , nicotine , saliva , confidence interval , medicine , electronic cigarette , smoking cessation , nicotine dependence , pathology
Aims To assess saliva cotinine levels in experienced users of e‐cigarettes (‘vapers’). Design, setting and participants An internet survey in 2011 and 2012, with collection of saliva vials by mail. Participants were 71 users of e‐cigarettes enrolled mainly on websites and online forums dedicated to e‐cigarettes. Measurements Use of e‐cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine medications. Collection of saliva by mail and analysis of cotinine by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Findings Most participants (89%) were former smokers, most (92%) were using e‐cigarettes daily, had been using e‐cigarettes for 12 months on average and puffed a median of 150 times per day on their e‐cigarettes [mean = 220 puffs/day, 95% confidence interval ( CI ) = 169–271]. The median concentration of nicotine in refill liquids was 16 mg/ml (mean = 16.4, 95% CI = 14.5–18.3). In the 62 e‐cigarette users who, in the past 5 days, had not used any tobacco or nicotine medications, the median cotinine level was 353 ng/ml (mean = 374, 95% CI = 318–429), the correlation between cotinine and nicotine concentration in e‐liquids was r = 0.33 ( P = 0.013), and the correlation between cotinine and the number of cigarettes smoked per day before quitting smoking was r = 0.48 ( P < 0.001). Conclusions At least some experienced users of electronic cigarettes appear to be able to gain as much nicotine from those products as do cigarette smokers.